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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, NASA astronaut Christina H. Koch set a record for |
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the longest spaceflight by a woman on February 6, 2020, when she |
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returned from a 328-day mission aboard the International Space |
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Station; and |
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WHEREAS, With her long voyage, Ms. Koch gave scientists a |
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vital opportunity to study the long-term effects of spaceflight on |
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female astronauts; she also participated in a number of research |
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projects, including investigations of fresh food production, |
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vertebral strength, kidney health, and the behavior of fire in |
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space; in addition, she studied how a protein key in the growth of |
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cancer crystallizes in microgravity; she and a fellow astronaut |
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conducted the first all-female spacewalk as well; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Koch attended North Carolina State University, |
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where she earned bachelor's degrees in electrical engineering and |
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physics and a master's degree in electrical engineering; in 2001, |
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she graduated from the NASA Academy program at Goddard Space Flight |
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Center; she worked in instrument development at NASA Goddard Space |
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Flight Center's Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics and at the |
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Space Department of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics |
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Laboratory; furthermore, she was a research associate in the United |
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States Antarctic Program and conducted remote scientific field work |
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at Palmer Station in Antarctica, Summit Station in Greenland, and |
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NOAA's Global Monitoring Division Baseline Observatory in Barrow, |
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Alaska; she also served as station chief of the American Samoa |
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Observatory; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2013, Ms. Koch was named one of eight members of |
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the 21st NASA astronaut class, and she was assigned to her first |
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spaceflight five years later; she is the recipient of numerous |
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accolades, among them the NASA Group Achievement Award; and |
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WHEREAS, Christina Koch has made many significant |
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contributions to our nation's space program, and her record-setting |
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flight is a source of inspiration to people the world over; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Christina H. Koch on completing the |
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longest spaceflight by a female astronaut and extend to her sincere |
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best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Koch as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |