The University of Ghana has joined the global community in celebrating its former exchange student, Christina Koch (née Hammock), who is part of the four-member crew on Artemis II mission, a landmark spaceflight set to carry humans around the Moon.

Koch, an accomplished astronaut and engineer, studied at the University during the 1999/2000 academic year as part of a study-abroad programme while pursuing her undergraduate studies in the United States. Her time in Ghana, where she took courses including Ghanaian and African history, Twi, music, and rural sociology, formed an important part of her academic and cultural development. She has since described the experience as “life-changing” and one that broadened her global perspective.

Now serving as a mission specialist on Artemis II, Koch continues to break barriers in space exploration. She previously set the record for the longest continuous spaceflight by a woman, spending 328 days aboard the International Space Station, and participated in the first all-female spacewalks. Her inclusion in Artemis II places her among a pioneering crew tasked with testing systems for future lunar missions and advancing humanity’s return to deep space.

The University of Ghana remains committed to delivering transformative, globally relevant education that shapes students from diverse backgrounds into leaders and innovators. Koch’s journey, from an exchange student in Legon to a trailblazing astronaut, highlights the enduring impact of international academic exchange.

The University extends its warmest wishes to the Artemis II crew, confident that their historic mission will inspire generations across Ghana, Africa, and the world