Selection of Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide as a Member
of the ISS Expedition Crew
November 18, 2009 (JST)
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) would like to announce that Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide has been selected as a crew member for the 32nd/33rd Expedition Mission at the International Space Station (ISS). Once there, he will engage in space activities mainly for space environment utilization, including scientific experiments coordinated by Japanese scientists and international partners at the ISS.
Astronaut Hoshide is currently continuing his astronaut training after achieving success with the 1J mission on the space shuttle Discovery (STS-124 mission, June 2008.) He is also contributing to ISS operations as a Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) at the NASA mission Control Center, communicating with crew on board the ISS.
- Period of stay at the ISS:
- About 6 months from early summer 2012
- Transportation means to the ISS:
- Launch and return by Soyuz
- Major tasks at the ISS:
- System operations at the ISS, including those in the Japanese Experiment Module, Kibo, as an ISS Flight Engineer; ISS robotic arm operations; and conducting scientific experiments
- Schedule until the mission:
- Taking training sessions on operating ISS facilities, including Kibo and the ISS robotic arm; on conducting in-orbit scientific experiments; and on riding the Soyuz
- Reference materials:
- Brief Personal History of Astronaut Hoshide (Attachment 1)
Onboard Plan of Japanese Astronauts (Attachment 2)
Comment from JAXA President (Attachment 3)
Comment from Astronaut Hoshide (Attachment 4)
Reference link: Space Station/Kibo Information Center
http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/
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(Attachment 1)
Brief Personal History of Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide
Akihiko Hoshide
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Astronaut
(40 years old as of November 2009)
November 18, 2009
| 1968 | Born in Tokyo |
| 1992 | Graduated from Keio University (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology) |
| 1992 to 1999 | Worked at the then National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA, currently JAXA) on development and management of the H-II Launch Vehicle, and technical support for astronauts |
| 1997 | Received his Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Houston, Cullen College of Engineering |
| February 1999 | Selected as an astronaut candidate with Satoshi Furukawa and Naoko Sumino (Yamazaki) |
| April 1999 | Started basic astronaut candidate training |
| January 2001 | Certified as an astronaut |
| April 2001 | Participated in advanced training for astronauts on board the ISS, which is held under international cooperation among the ISS member organizations |
| May 2004 | Certified as a Soyuz-TMA Flight Engineer |
| February 2006 | Certified as a NASA Mission Specialist (MS) |
| June 2008 | Participated in the 1J mission (STS-124 mission) to install and activate Kibo's Pressurized Module |
(Attachment 3)
President's Comment on the Selection of Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide
as a Member of the ISS Expedition Crew
November 18, 2009
It is a great pleasure and privilege for me to introduce Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide to you as the fourth Japanese astronaut to be assigned to stay at the International Space Station (ISS) for a prolonged period.
Astronaut Hoshide flew to space for the first time in June 2008 to perform operations at the ISS, including an assembly task of the Pressurized Module of the Japanese Experiment Module, Kibo. Since that flight, he has contributed to ISS operations as a Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM). Making the best use of his flight experience and excellent judgment ability, he communicates with the crew on board the ISS. More recently, he has been coaching newly recruited JAXA astronaut candidates chosen in spring of this year.
In 2012, when Astronaut Hoshide is scheduled to reside at the ISS, we aim at conducting new basic scientific research in the extreme environment of space, as well as generating innovations from the space environment and manned space activities in Kibo through further development of the current activities there. By doing so, we would like to achieve results that society and the Japanese people support, and to provide these results to society. We highly expect Astronaut Hoshide to contribute greatly to such scientific research and experiments with his superior ability in various fields.
With a Japanese astronaut continuously staying at the ISS for an extended period to conduct various space experiments, we hope that we can not only develop Japanese manned space technology and acquire new scientific knowledge, but also attain fruitful results that can be applied to industries and lives on the ground.
I would like to express my profound appreciation to NASA as well as all people and parties concerned in the selection of Astronaut Hoshide this time.
Keiji Tachikawa
President
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
(Attachment 4)
Comment from Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide
November 18, 2009
It is a great pleasure, and honor, to be assigned as a member of the crew of Expedition 32/33.
We are now in an era where Japanese astronauts live and work on orbit for long periods of time, at regular interval. With my experience on STS-124/1J mission, as well as supporting missions such as STS-127/2JA and HTV1 from the ground, I will do my best as part of an international team to contribute towards the success of the ISS program by conducting various experiment and operating the ISS and Kibo. I also look forward to working with the flight controllers and training instructors all over the world, including Tsukuba, towards a mission.
I am grateful for those who have supported and worked toward this assignment, and ask for your continuing support towards the space program, including the ISS program.
Akihiko Hoshide
JAXA Astronaut