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New Aerospace Organization Name in English, its Acronym,
and Logo announced to press |
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| President Yamanouchi of the new Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency and astronaut Sumino |
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A new aerospace organization, "the Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency," is to be born on October 1, 2003, merging the Institute
of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), the National Aerospace
Laboratory of Japan (NAL), and the National Space Development Agency
of Japan (NASDA). President Shuichiro Yamanouchi of NASDA, who
has been appointed as the first president of the new Japan aerospace
agency, announced the official English name "Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency," as well as the acronym "JAXA" and
logo of the new agency on May 20, 2003.
Astronaut Sumino attended this press conference wearing a blue
suit with the new logo patch on the chest and said, "The name
of "JAXA" gives me a strong impression of progress toward the future.
I feel
braced
up."
Click here
for more about JAXA.
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Columbia Accident Investigation Status briefing |
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Astronaut Hoshide attended the Columbia Accident Investigation
Status briefing with a NASDA engineer to explain the status of
the Accident Investigation Board and to answer questions from the
media.
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Lecture at North Naniwa Elementary School |
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| Astronaut Furukawa interacting with
children |
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Astronaut Furukawa gave a lecture titled "You will also fly to
space!" at the municipal North Naniwa Elementary School in Amagasaki
city, Hyogo Prefecture. He explained the environment and life in
space to about 450 pupils, parents, and residents using quizzes
and videos. He answered questions from pupils and interacted with
participants.
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Appearance on NHK "Weekly Children News" |
Astronaut Furukawa appeared as a guest on NHK's "Weekly
Children News," which was broadcast live on May 31, 2003.
He answered questions from the audience and explained the International
Space Station
(ISS), Kibo, how he had seized an opportunity to become an astronaut,
and training for astronauts using a model and VTR.
At the end, he expressed his aspiration as follows, "In ISS, I
would like to collect a lot of data that will help realize a time
when everyone may fly to space. I will do my best."
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| Astronaut Furukawa on "Weekly
Children News" |
Explaining ISS with a
model |
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The Japanese ISS astronauts' June
activity report will be issued in July 2003.
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