A small group of people was gathered near a conference room. Flight directors, engineers, support staff-and among them stood a woman Sarah recognized instantly. For a moment, the world seemed to slow. Christina Koch. Sarah hadn't seen her in years. The last time they'd stood in the same room, they had been teenagers wearing matching cheerleading uniforms, laughing about homework and weekend plans. Back then, they had spent nearly every day together. Now Christina stood confidently among NASA's finest, dressed in a flight suit bearing her name and mission insignia. She looked older, of course. More experienced. More accomplished. But unmistakably the same.

Even Astronauts hurt sometimes you know.

Elara Vega Koch-Williams is an astronaut. She's also the mother of two girls Kathryn, Katie, Koch and Astra, Az, Koch. Elara is the little sister of Robert Koch. She's the sister-in-law to fellow astronaut and mission partner Christina Koch. Elara's husband Jake is deployed, but when he's not... let's just say he's a real piece of work.

Snippets of moments between Christina Koch and my OC Andromeda Smith (who may appear again if I do anything else sci-(non-fi)) as they prep for the now landed Artemis II mission to orbit the moon and as they are on the ship. *No disrespect to the inspiring Christina Koch or her husband. I completely respect their happy marriage and her sexuality. I'm just trying to get through life, man.*

❝ we will always choose Earth. We will always choose each other. ❞ - christina koch. #1 nasa #2 christina koch

"Imagine," she whispered, "being up there." Her father looked at her for a long moment before answering. "You could be." Selene laughed immediately. "No way." "Why not?" "People like me don't go to space." ☆ Since she was ten years old Selene Watson dreamt about becoming an astronaut. Now years later she works at NASA and is selected as backup astronaut for the Artemis II.