Christina Koch named Nasa's acting deputy chief engineer

A veteran astronaut who has lived in orbit for nearly a year and flown around the Moon is now moving from the cockpit to the engineering leadership table. Christina Koch, an electrical engineer by training, will serve as acting deputy chief engineer at the Nasa from November 1. The appointment ends her eligibility for future spaceflight, yet it also places her at the center of decisions about technical standards, mission readiness and engineering excellence. Here is what the announcement means, whom Koch is succeeding, what agency leaders are saying, and why her North Carolina roots matter.Christina Koch becomes acting deputy chief engineer on November 1 after Katherine Van Hooser retiresAccording to the official news release the Nasa on October 13, Christina Koch will begin serving as acting deputy chief engineer on Sunday, November 1. The post opens because Katherine Van Hooser, the agency's deputy chief engineer since 2023, retires on Wednesday, October 21, after more than 35 years of service. In her new role, Koch will help lead the agency's engineering community, supporting technical oversight, mission readiness and engineering excellence across programs and projects. The rele...