'Guess I'll be waiting a minute to surf again': Artemis 2 moon astronaut Christina Koch shares her recovery journey
By Elizabeth Howell
Published on April 24, 2026.
NASA astronaut Christina Koch, the first woman, person of color and non-American to leave the moon, has shared her recovery after her historic moon mission. Koch struggled to walk in a straight line during a blindfold test a week after her mission, and joked about her future in space as a result. She credits physical therapy and humor for her recovery. The ISS has a number of countermeasures to help with this issue, including exercise machines, drugs to slow down deterioration, and consultations with doctors to monitor changes. The Artemis 2 astronauts were the first to visit the moon in nearly 54 years.
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