Grand Rapids Native Christina Koch Joins Artemis II Moon Mission

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NASA is accomplishing a feat it has not done in over 50 years: returning to the moon for the first time since 1972. Artemis II and its four astronauts, including Grand Rapids native Christina Koch, are taking a 10-day trip around the Moon and back to Earth. Koch, who has previously spent a record-breaking 328 consecutive days in space on the International Space Station, will be part of the first mission to go beyond Earth's orbit since the Apollo program.

Why it matters

Christina Koch's participation in the Artemis II mission represents several historic firsts, including the first Black man, the first Canadian, and the first woman to go beyond Earth's orbit. As a Grand Rapids native, Koch will be representing both her hometown and the United States on this landmark journey.

The details

The four astronauts on the Artemis II mission are Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and astronaut Christina Koch. Koch has been an astronaut since 2013 and previously served as a flight engineer on the International Space Station, setting the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 consecutive days.

• Artemis II is scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida around 6:24 p.m. on April 1, 2026.
• The mission will last approximately 10 days, with the astronauts traveling around the Moon and then returning to Earth.

What’s next

After the successful completion of the Artemis II mission, NASA plans to launch the Artemis III mission, which will land astronauts, including the first woman, on the lunar surface.