Christina Koch: Artemis II, the ISS, and NASA’s Return to the Moon

NASA astronaut Christina Koch represents a new era of human spaceflight. From her record-setting 328-day mission aboard the International Space Station to her historic role on Artemis II, Koch’s career connects the hard-earned lessons of long-duration spaceflight with NASA’s return to deep space.In this episode of Orbital Briefing, Ron Walker explores Christina Koch’s journey from engineer and remote field scientist to ISS flight engineer, spacewalker, and Artemis astronaut. We look at how her time in orbit helped prepare NASA for the future of lunar exploration, why her role on Artemis II matters, and how her story reflects the evolution of the modern astronaut.This is not just a biography. It is a look at how the Shuttle era, the International Space Station, and Artemis all connect through one remarkable career.We discuss:Christina Koch’s path to NASAHer 328-day mission aboard the International Space StationThe first all-woman spacewalksWhy long-duration spaceflight matters for Artemis and MarsHer role on Artemis IIHow NASA’s astronaut corps has evolved since ApolloWhy Koch represents the future of explorationThis episode is sponsored by The American Spaceplane: A Story of Ambition, Risk, and Reinvention, Ron Walker’s book about the Space Shuttle program, available through RetroJet Studios.Visit RetroJetStudios.com for the book, spaceflight merchandise, podcast updates, and more.