Astronaut Christina Koch Inspires NC Kids After Moon Mission

The woman who just traveled farther from Earth than any human in history wanted to know what elementary schoolers were most curious about.

Christina Koch, NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist, received North Carolina's highest award Wednesday. But the Jacksonville native seemed just as thrilled to answer questions from two dozen enthusiastic kids.

"When you were my age, did you already know you wanted to be an astronaut?" one student asked. Koch's answer was refreshingly honest.

"I did know I wanted to be an astronaut, but I also knew it was going to be really hard and probably not very likely," she told them. "So I went for my dream and I worked towards that goal. I also made sure that along the way I did things that I found really fun and that brought me joy."

The N.C. State University graduate became the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit. Her Artemis II crew broke the record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled in space.

Labor Commissioner Luke Farley presented Koch with the Order of the Tar Heel at the historic Labor Building in downtown Raleigh. The award recognizes not just her groundbreaking space achievements, but her dedication to encouraging students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.

The questions kept coming. What's your favorite planet? Jupiter, because of its magnetic field and beautiful auroras dancing in the sky. What's it like sleeping upside down in space? Without gravity, there's no difference between upside down and right side up.

Koch made sure to credit the countless workers who made her mission possible. She highlighted A-B Emblem of Weaverville, North Carolina, which produced the Artemis II patch the astronauts designed themselves.

"I like to think we are a partnership because in NASA, so many jobs, high-skilled manufacturing and technical jobs, are created by a love of wanting to explore," she said.

Why This Inspires

Koch hasn't figured out what's next after achieving her childhood dream. But her immediate plans show the same adventurous spirit that got her to space.

She's restoring her family's sailboat with her father in Jacksonville. "That actually has been one of the most exciting things that I've taken on recently — getting back to my family, and then trying something that scares me, which is what I always tell people they have to do," she said.

Her message to the students was simple: embrace your unique talents and find ways to give back. You can make amazing things happen when you support the people around you.