| ISS Astronaut Activity Report,
February 2002 |
   |
This is NASDA's February 2002 primary activity report for ISS astronauts
Furukawa, Hoshide, and Sumino. Their activities included English and Russian
language training, physical training, participation in media interviews,
technical activities such as attending the JEM safety review, and advanced
training. They also presented lectures.
 |
"Kibo" Japanese Experiment Module
advanced training |
Since December 2001, the advanced training on "Kibo," the Japanese
Experiment Module, has been conducted for ISS astronauts at the Tsukuba
Space Center. The advanced training is one of the ISS astronauts training
courses; increment-specific training, another training course, is conducted
under the initiative of each international partner.
Six Kibo advanced training sessions will have been conducted in the Space
Station Test Building at the Tsukuba Space Center by the end of March
2002, with two astronauts for each session, one Japanese and one IP astronaut.
The training is conducted by instructors in English using training systems.
The training includes normal and malfunction operations of Kibo internal
systems, including the communications system, power system, thermal control
system, environment control system and combined operations of these systems.
In February, astronaut Furukawa and astronaut Sumino participated in the
advanced training. Astronaut Hoshide finished
the training last December. Details on Kibo advanced training are
here.
H-IIA Rocket |
|
Astronaut Hoshide joined H-IIA rocket launch
team. |
The second H-IIA test vehicle was launched from Tanegashima Space Center
on February 4, 2002. Astronaut Hoshide worked as one of the members of
the launch team to interface with external organizations and fielded questions
from media.
|
Astronaut Hoshide presents a lecture in Nagasaki |
Astronaut Hoshide participated in an event held in Nagasaki City on February
9, 2002. This event sought to inform Nagasaki citizens of the city's declaration
that Nagasaki City will endeavor to preserve the environment. This event
included environmental activity reports by elementary schools and middle
schools inside the city and by citizens, and a panel discussion by four
experts in the environmental field activities. At the exhibition corner,
people experienced wearing an imitation space suit, looked at NASDA's
Earth-observation photographs, and viewed photograph panels of rockets
and Space Shuttle missions in which Japan has participated. Astronaut
Hoshide presented a lecture titled "Inherit the only Earth for the
future" and answered questions.
 |
 |
 |
|
Lecture site
|
Astronaut Hoshide giving presentation.
|
Astronaut Hoshide answering questions.
|
|
Astronaut Furukawa presented a lecture at
Nagahama elementary school. |
 |
 |
 |
| Presentation scenes (C)
Nagahama Elementary School |
Astronaut Furukawa presented a lecture at Nagahama elementary school
in Shiga Prefecture on February 2. This event was planned for the 130th
anniversary of this school by the school teachers and PTA members.Approximately
1500 people, including schoolchildren, their parents, school-related
people and junior high school students,attended.
Astronaut Furukawa's presentation style was easy for people to understand.
He explained that alloys that are not available on Earth could possibly
be created in a microgravity environment, and environmental changes of
the entire Earth could be observed from space. When he mentioned that
the International Space Station, that is being constructed through cooperation
of countries including Japan, the USA and other international partners,
travels at a speed of eight kilometers a second, and that a space suit
for extravehicular activities costs as much as several millions of dollars,
the audience was very astonished.
The children asked questions such as "Is space cold?" or "How
many solar panels does the ISS have?" to which astronaut Furukawa
answered politely.
The Japanese ISS astronauts' March activity report will be issued in
the middle of April.
Last Updated: April 10, 2002
|
