May 24 2018

From The Space Library

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Current revision

RELEASE 18-040 NASA, Space Station Partners Announce Future Mission Crew Members

NASA astronauts Christina Hammock Koch and Andrew Morgan have been assigned to spaceflights scheduled to launch in 2019. Both Koch and Morgan were selected as NASA astronauts in 2013.

Koch has been assigned to Expedition 59/60, which is set to launch to the International Space Station in April 2019. Morgan will follow as a member of the Expedition 60/61 crew in July 2019.

Koch, who grew up in Jacksonville, North Carolina, earned bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and physics, and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

Koch started her career as an electrical engineer focusing on space science instrument design at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. She went on to work as a research associate with the United States Antarctic Program, completing several deployments including spending the winter at the South Pole. She returned to space science instrument design at the Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory, contributing to such missions as the Juno probe to Jupiter. She then returned to her work at remote scientific research stations, including sessions as a field engineer in the Arctic and as station chief with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in American Samoa. Her extracurricular pursuits include running and other outdoor sports.

Morgan, who considers New Castle, Pennsylvania, his hometown, earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, as well as a doctorate of medicine from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, before completing his residency in emergency medicine at Madigan Army Medical Center-University of Washington.

Morgan began his career in military medicine by volunteering for U.S. Army special operations forces. He served as a medical team member in the Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and went on to become the battalion surgeon for the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, where he served for three years. Following this, Morgan served on a strategic special operations assignment in Washington, D.C., before completing a fellowship in primary care sports medicine. Over the course of his special operations assignments, Morgan deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa in support of combat operations.

RELEASE 18-042 NASA Administrator Statement on Space Policy Directive-2

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine on Thursday’s signing of Space Policy Directive-2 by President Donald Trump:

"NASA is pleased with the White House’s continued commitment to advancing America’s leadership in space. Space Policy Directive-2 (SPD-2) is another step towards bolstering our nation’s dedication to uncovering new knowledge, protecting our national security, developing breakthrough technologies, and creating new jobs.

"Our thriving space economy will continue to grow and support our missions to the Moon and Mars thanks to the Administration’s long-term investment in commercial partners who now successfully carry research and cargo to the International Space Station, and will soon transport U.S. astronauts from American soil for the first time since 2011.

"Giving American entrepreneurs the tools and guidance to pursue innovation to the best of their abilities has served our space program well from the beginning, and allows the government to purchase services it needs while we focus on returning to the Moon, expanding our presence on Mars, and pushing deeper into space.

"We look forward to working with the Secretary of Transportation as that agency works on transforming the licensing of commercial space flight launch and re-entry and to coordinating with the Department of Commerce as it consolidates commercial spaceflight activities in the Office of the Secretary.

"A light but focused regulatory touch will help our industry partners provide the best and safest services for our nation and expedite their work. There are many innovative companies across this nation working hard to build a bright future in space, and our policies should help ensure their success on all fronts.

"SPD-2 provides yet another way for the members of the National Space Council to provide much-needed direction for the many different aspects of our nation’s activity in space, providing communication and coordination on these complex enterprises for the benefit of our nation and the world."