The Farthest Point: Exploring the Journey to the Moon at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia
An Evening with NASA Astronaut Christina Koch and Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts
Monday, October 5, 2026 | 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm | Franklin Hall
Tickets: $20 Members | $25 Non-members
TFI Member Benefit: Your presale starts at 9:00 am on Tuesday, September 15 — 3 hours before tickets open to the public at 12:00 pm.
During Space Week 2026, explore the future of human spaceflight through a special conversation with NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch and The Franklin Institute's Chief Astronomer, Derrick Pitts.
Explore the ideas, achievements, and questions shaping humanity’s next era of lunar exploration at The Franklin Institute.
Hear firsthand from one of the world's most accomplished astronauts at The Franklin Institute.
Tickets on sale Tuesday, September 15.
Christina Koch is an explorer and engineer who became astronaut in 2013. She served as mission specialist of NASA’s Artemis II mission in 2026. Her previous experience in spaceflight was living and working on the International Space Station for almost all of 2019 in Expeditions 59, 60, and 61. For this mission, she flew on the Russian Soyuz rocket and trained extensively in Russia. Christina spent a total of 328 consecutive days in space and participated in the first all-female spacewalks. After this spaceflight and before being assigned to Artemis II, she served as Branch Chief of the Assigned Crew Branch in the Astronaut Office and did a rotation as Assistant for Technical Integration for the Center Director at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Prior to becoming an astronaut, Christina’s experience spanned both space science mission instrument development and remote scientific field engineering in the Antarctic and Arctic. Her hobbies include surfing, rock and ice climbing, programming, community service, triathalons, yoga, backpacking, woodworking, photography and travel.
Derrick Pitts is currently the Chief Astronomer and Director of the Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute. He’s also been a NASA Solar System Ambassador since 2009 and serves as the “Astrobiology Ambassador” for the NASA/MIRS/UNCF Special Program Corporation’s Astrobiology Partnership Program. One of his newest honors is an appointment to the outreach advisory board for the world’s largest telescope, the new Thirty-Meter-Telescope at Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
He appears regularly in the media as a science content expert including appearances on the “Colbert Report” on Comedy Central and “The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson” on CBS. For more than two decades, Derrick has hosted award-winning astronomy radio programs for Philadelphia’s two public radio stations and created signature astronomy television programming for PBS. One of the highlights of Derrick’s career was meeting President Obama and his family when he was invited to participate in the first-ever White House Star Party.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Farthest Point?
The Farthest Point is a 75-minute public conversation about Artemis II, lunar exploration, and the future of human spaceflight. NASA astronaut Christina Koch and The Franklin Institute’s Chief Astronomer, Derrick Pitts, will discuss the pursuit of discovery and the questions shaping humanity’s next journeys beyond Earth.
Who is Christina Koch?
Christina Koch is a NASA astronaut, engineer, and explorer whose career has taken her from some of the most remote places on Earth to the International Space Station—and now, around the Moon.
A veteran of 328 consecutive days in space, Koch set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman and participated in the first all-female spacewalks. Her work has spanned space science, engineering, and scientific field research in the Arctic and Antarctic.
As a member of the Artemis II crew, Koch is helping usher in a new era of lunar exploration and human spaceflight.
What is the Artemis II mission?
Artemis II was NASA’s first crewed mission around the Moon in more than 50 years and marked a major milestone in the future of human space exploration. During the approximately 10-day lunar flyby, the crew tested the Orion spacecraft with astronauts aboard and gathered information to support future missions to the Moon and beyond.
When and where is the Christina Koch event at The Franklin Institute?
The Farthest Point: Exploring the Journey to the Moon takes place on Monday, October 5, 2026, at 6:30 pm in Franklin Hall at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. The event will be approximately 75 minutes.
How much are tickets to see NASA astronaut Christina Koch?
Tickets are $20 for Franklin Institute Members and $25 for non-members. Advance purchase is required.