In February 1999, three ASCANs were selected to fly aboard
the International Space Station (ISS). They have been receiving
basic
training since April 1999, primarily in Tsukuba Space Center. ASCANs
Furukawa and Hoshide finished all the scheduled subjects by December 2000
and the training course certificates were presented to them at the end
of December. On January 24, 2001, a ceremony was held at NASDA headquarters
to officially certify them as ISS Astronauts.
At the press conference held after the ceremony, they gave their comments.
Furukawa said, "I hope to become a unique astronaut with a background
of medicine." Hoshide stated, "I hope to contribute to the ISS
program by receiving further training courses from now on."
Furukawa and Hoshide are the first astronauts certified through the basic
training conducted by Japan. Every country's training organization participating
in the ISS program is responsible for certifying ISS astronauts. NASDA's
ISS astronaut certification criteria are: (1) that an ASCAN must finish
the basic training courses, (2) have technical knowledge about the ISS,
space engineering and sciences, and (3) satisfy medical criteria. The
two ASCANs went through the screening, and they were certified as ISS
Astronauts.
ASCAN Sumino has been participating in the training based on ISS assembly
progress status, and is planning to complete all scheduled basic training
in the summer of 2001.
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Japanese Experiment Module Kibo's EVA training Mockup
walk through |
In early January 2001, Furukawa, Hoshide, and Sumino participated in a
training using Kibo's mockup, confirming EVA foot restraint positions,
attaching and detaching of handrails, and learning how to use EVA tools.
This training, called a 'walk through', was conducted in order to prepare
for the underwater EVA training planned in February 2001 using the Weightless
Environment Test System (WETS) . Prior to the EVA training, they had a
tour of the mockup and confirmed the location and position of the training
objects as well as their handling. NASA's EVA training using a similar
facility is often conducted and known that it is useful for effective
EVA training.
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| Furukawa |
Hoshide |
Sumino |
Lecture on EVA support
tools. An Articulated Portable Foot Restraint can be seen in the
photo. |
This page will continue updating the activity status of the three ISS
Astronauts.
