Christina Koch Astronaut Christina Koch is set to become the first American woman to travel to the Moon. (more) Christina Koch American astronaut Also known as: Christina M. Hammock Written by Erik Gregersen Erik Gregersen is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica, specializing in the physical sciences and technology. Before joining Britannica in 2007, he worked at the University of Chicago Press on the... Erik Gregersen Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 1, 2026 •History Christina Koch (born January 29, 1979, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.) is an American astronaut who will be the first woman to travel to the Moon. She is part of the crew of the Artemis II mission, which will make a trip around the Moon in early 2026. She also holds the record for longest spaceflight by a woman, having spent 328 days on the International Space Station (ISS). Koch was raised in Jacksonville, North Carolina,...

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