Join astronaut Christina Koch and Google's James Manyika for a conversation on space, technology, and discovery.
NASA astronaut Christina Koch and Google's James Manyika discuss spaceflight, technology, and discovery in the Dialogues on Technology and Society series. Koch reflects on her 328-day ISS mission, the first all-female spacewalk, and her upcoming Artemis II lunar flight, describing Earth as a fragile electric blue lifeboat and emphasizing how astronauts, robotics, and AI must collaborate for future deep-space exploration.
NASA astronaut, engineer, and scientist Christina Koch joined James Manyika, Google's Senior Vice President of Research, Labs, Technology & Society, for a new installment of the Dialogues on Technology and Society series. The conversation offered a rare look at how human spaceflight, robotics, and artificial intelligence intersect — and why Koch believes their partnership will shape the future of exploration beyond Earth.
A Record-Setting Career in Orbit and Beyond
Koch's career stands among the most remarkable in modern spaceflight. She spent 328 days aboard the International Space Station, completing the longest single spaceflight by a woman, and took part in the historic first all-female spacewalk. Her next milestone will take her even farther from home: she is set to fly around the Moon on NASA's Artemis II mission, returning humans to lunar vicinity for the first time in more than five decades.
During the dialogue, Koch reflected on what these experiences taught her about resilience, teamwork, and the perspective that comes from seeing the planet from above.
Earth as an Electric Blue "Lifeboat"
One of the most striking moments of the conversation came when Koch described viewing Earth from roughly 250,000 miles away. From that distance, she said, the planet looks like an electric blue "lifeboat" — a fragile vessel carrying all of humanity through space. She argued that this perspective carries a responsibility, both for how we care for Earth and for how we approach the challenges of deep-space exploration.
Astronauts, Robotics and AI Working Together
Koch and Manyika also explored the growing role of technology in space missions. Rather than viewing machines as replacements for human explorers, Koch described astronauts, robotics, and AI as vital partners — each contributing capabilities the others lack. As missions reach farther into the solar system, where communication delays make real-time human oversight impossible, that collaboration is expected to become even more essential.
The two also tackled one of science's biggest open questions: "Are we alone?" Koch shared her thoughts on what the search for life beyond Earth means, and offered advice for future explorers — do what scares you, and support the people around you.
What to Watch Next
The full dialogue is available to watch online. With Artemis II on the horizon, conversations like this one offer a preview of how human ingenuity and advanced technology will combine on humanity's next great journey to the Moon and beyond.