JAXA Astronaut Activity Report

Astronaut Wakata Assumes Role of Chief of Station Operations Branch, Astronaut Office

Astronaut Koichi Wakata photographed in the Kibo module while serving aboard the ISS (Photo credit: NASA)

As of March 1, 2010, Astronaut Wakata has assumed the role of Chief of the Station Operations Branch of NASA’s Astronaut Office.

Every astronaut who participates in training at NASA generally joins the Astronaut Office and is assigned to one of 12 different branches that support astronaut activities. There, they support the branches’ operations. The Station Operations Branch is responsible for supporting and coordinating training for astronauts assigned to future ISS expeditions, as well as ISS crews’ on-orbit activities and post-flight activities.

Astronaut Wakata will coordinate tasks of the Station Operations Branch as Chief of the Branch over the next year.

Final Training for STS-131

Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki during the TCDT (Photo credit: NASA)

Astronaut Yamazaki, along with the other STS-131 Mission crew members, participated in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC). TCDT is the last major training prior to launch for shuttle crew and the ground team to review and drill the countdown activities on launch day.

The STS-131 Mission, launched on April 5, 2010 (JST), concluded a successful 15-day mission to the ISS.

ISS Expedition Operations Training in Russia

Astronauts Satoshi Furukawa (left) and Anatoly Ivanishin (right) posing for a photo in front of the Soyuz simulator (Photo credit: JAXA/GCTC)

Astronaut Furukawa, assigned as an ISS Expedition 28/29 crew member, participated in training held at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Russia. Astronaut Furukawa received training on Soyuz TMA spacecraft operations, which is required for acquiring a qualification to board the Soyuz TMA spacecraft as a Soyuz flight engineer.

Astronaut Furukawa learned procedures of launch/ascent, rendezvous/docking, and de-orbit/reentry operations using the Soyuz simulator. Through the training, he further deepened his understanding of cooperative work with other Soyuz crew members during flight aboard the Soyuz TMA spacecraft.