Astronauts Furukawa and Hoshide and ASCAN Sumino received their second
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) training in the Weightless Environment
Test Building at Tsukuba Space Center.
A 16m diameter, and 10.5m deep water tank is located inside the Weightless
Environment Test Building. This tank is utilized to simulate the weightless
environment of space.
This training was conducted to refresh and increase the astronauts' EVA
knowledge and skills.
Prior to receiving the training, they learned how to use EVA tools and
received lectures on diving physiology and emergency procedures. Each
of them then received three hours of training for three days. During the
training in the water tank, they wore an underwater space suit and learned
basic operations such as how to translate themselves in the water and
how to use the EVA tools. They then participated in the partial assembly
of "Kibo."
EVA is conducted in cooperation with the crew inside the spacecraft. During
the training, one astronaut trained under water while other astronaut
played the role of the crew inside, and vice versa, with radio communications
between them.
Japanese astronaut Doi, who has much EVA experience and conducted an EVA
in 1997 on shuttle mission STS-87, visited Japan to attend the training
as an advisor.
The Japanese ISS astronauts' activity report of March will be issued
in April.
