JAXA Astronaut Activity Report, June 2004

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This is JAXA's primary activity report on Japanese astronauts for June 2004.

Mission Specialist Astronaut Candidate Training

Astronauts Furukawa, Yamazaki, and Hoshide (At Johnson Space Center)

Mission Specialist candidates being trained at the Pensacola Naval Air Station (Three NASA MS candidates of the eleven are not included since they have finished aircraft flight training.)

Astronauts Furukawa, Hoshide, and Yamazaki began Space Shuttle Mission Specialist (note 1) training in the U.S.A to become qualified as Mission Specialists (See Training to be aboard a Space Shuttle). Prior to leaving for the USA, the three astronauts expressed their hopes for the training at a press conference held on 7 June.

Note1: A mission specialist is responsible for the total operation of the Shuttle, conducts system operations including robot arm operation, conducts Extravehicular Activity, and supports the Pilot. MSs play primary roles in International Space Station (ISS) assembly.

The MS candidate training will be conducted together with NASA's astronaut candidate training for about a year and a half. During the training period for the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station's systems, micro-gravity environment training using an aircraft will also be carried out.

Following a medical examination at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), the three astronauts moved to Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida where they participated in water survival training and T-34C (note 2) aircraft flight training. These training courses were planned as preparation for T-38 jet (note 2) flight training that will begin in August. The T-34 and T-38 flight training will enable the astronauts to increase their ability to multitask and develop the crew cooperation capability required in space flight. The training will be conducted under stressful aircraft flight conditions by having the candidates perform several tasks simultaneously, such as communicating with ground control, checking instruments and maneuvering the aircraft.

Water Survival Training

Astronaut Yamazaki receiving water survival training

Prior to T-34C and T-38 flight training, lectures and practical training were held in order to learn aeronautical physiology, emergency bailout from the aircraft, parachute handling, water survival, recovery from water to helicopter, and escaping from an emergency helicopter landing on water.

T-34C aircraft Flight Training

This is flight training for MS candidates who have no T-38 (note 2) flight experience. In addition to lectures and practical training for the T-34C (note 2) system and emergency bailout and procedures, flight training was conducted using a simulator. Real flight training is scheduled to begin in July.

T-38 jet	T-34C aircraft

Note 2: The T-38 jet is a two-seater flight training hypersonic aircraft equipped with two jet engines, and has been used by the U.S. Air Force to train fighter pilots for a long time. For an MS candidate, more than 100 hours of T-38 flight training is mandatory for the first two years and 48 hours after that. The T-34C aircraft is powered by a single turboprop engine.

Refresher Training

Astronauts Doi, Furukawa, and Yamazaki received refresher training in early June. Refresher training is a review planned to maintain or increase the skills of trainees who have completed full advanced training.

Based on the contents of the advanced training, using computers as well as a mockup and simulators of the Japanese experiment module Kibo, the three astronauts attended the training on Kibo’s internal systems, including the power and communications system and the fluid and experiment support systems.

Astronaut Doi	Astronaut Furukawa	Astronaut Yamazaki

Giving a Lecture at the 24th Conference of the Japanese Society for Bone Morphometry. "Actual Manned Space Flight and Its Future"

At the end of the lecture, he presented a framed autographed photograph of himself.

Astronaut Wakata gave a lecture entitled "Actual Manned Space Flight and Its Future" at the 24th conference of the Japanese Society for Bone Morphometry held in KagawaPrefecture. He spoke to approximately 200 bone specialists about the Space Shuttle orbit operation, extravehicular activities, astronaut training, exercise equipment, and the Space Shuttle's return to flight activities.

Giving a Memorial Lecture on the 50th Anniversary of Hodaka Town "Towards a Future Dream"

More than 500 people attended the event.

Astronaut Wakata gave a lecture entitled "Towards a Future Dream" at a lecture meeting held in NaganoPrefecture to an audience of over 500 people. Astronaut Wakata spoke about his life and activities in space utilizing videos from when he visited the International Space Station assembly aboard the Space Shuttle. In a Q&A hour, children asked him many questions, and they were particularly interested to know when ordinary people would be able to go into space.

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