Science
NASA astronaut Christina Koch reflects on post-flight recovery and STEM role during university visit
During an event at North Carolina State University, Koch discussed her decompression routine following Artemis II and highlighted upcoming space exploration goals.
The short version
- NASA astronaut Christina Koch visited her alma mater, North Carolina State University, where an engineering building was named in her honor after her return from the Artemis II mission.
- Koch shared her post-mission routine, explaining that she spent her first week journaling without reviewing flight photography to preserve her immediate memories.
- NASA's Artemis program plans to conduct docking tests in low Earth orbit with Artemis III in 2027 before attempting a lunar landing with Artemis IV in 2028.
Key facts
- NASA astronaut Christina Koch visited North Carolina State University, where an engineering building was named in her honor.[CNET]
- Koch avoided looking at mission photos during her first week back on Earth, choosing instead to write in a journal to capture her uninfluenced memories.[CNET]
- The Artemis II mission carried Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day trip covering over 700,000 miles around the far side of the moon.[CNET]
- The Artemis III mission is targeted for 2027 to test docking in low Earth orbit, while Artemis IV is scheduled for 2028 to return astronauts to the lunar surface.[CNET]