Christina Koch: The First Woman to Travel Around the Moon 

In April 2026, NASA astronaut Christina Koch became the first woman to travel around the Moon. She was one of four astronauts aboard Artemis II, NASA’s first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years. The mission began on April 1, 2026, with Koch joining NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Travelling aboard the Orion spacecraft, the crew spent nearly 10 days testing spacecraft systems and completing a journey around the far side of the Moon before returning safely to Earth on April 10. 

This was not Koch’s first major achievement in spaceflight. In 2019, she spent 328 consecutive days in space, setting the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. That same year, she took part in the first all-woman spacewalk alongside NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. Before becoming an astronaut, Koch worked as an electrical engineer, helping develop scientific instruments and working in remote environments, including Antarctica and the Arctic. 

Although Artemis II did not involve landing on the Moon, the mission was an important step in preparing for future lunar exploration. It allowed NASA to test its spacecraft and systems with astronauts aboard while marking another milestone in women’s participation in human spaceflight.