NASA astronaut Christina Koch named acting deputy chief engineer

The appointment will move Koch into management astronaut status, making her ineligible for future spaceflight assignments.

Published October 14, 2026 · 7:45 AM ET

NASA astronaut Christina Koch stands inside Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building on July 14, 2021, in front of the agency’s Space Launch … — NASA astronaut Christina Koch stands inside Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building on July 14, 2021, in front of the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that ultimately powered the Orion spacecraft on… NASA · Public domain (NASA)

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