JAXA Astronaut Activity Report, August 2008:JAXA Astronaut Activity Report - JAXA´s Astronaut

JAXA Astronaut Activity Report, August 2008

Last Updated: October 2, 2008

This is JAXA's Japanese astronaut primary activity report for August 2008.

ISS Expedition Operations Training in Russia

Astronaut Furukawa, who is assigned as a backup crew member for the Expedition 20 mission, participated in an International Space Station (ISS) Expedition Operations Training program on the Russian modules of ISS and Soyuz TMA spacecraft, held at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Russia.

Through lectures and training using simulators, astronaut Furukawa obtained further knowledge about the Soyuz TMA spacecraft’s attitude control system, automated KURS rendezvous and docking system, the emergency escape system, the parachute system, soft-landing engines, etc. The session also included training on the structure and layout inside the Russian segment, including the Zvezda service module, the Zarya module and the Pirs docking compartment.


	I spent my summer in Russia, and it has been 5 years since I last visited. Even though it was the beginning of August, one week it got so cold I needed to use the heater. Now I can understand why the Russians enjoy their brief summer as much as possible. I am having fulfilling days here with the start of the training on the Russian Modules of the ISS, along with the Soyuz spacecraft.

Training for the ISS Expedition 18

Astronauts Wakata (right) and Stott (left) during training at RSC Energia.（©S.P.Korolev RSC Energia）

Astronauts Wakata (center back), Noguchi (center) and Barret (left) during training at RSC Energia.（©S.P.Korolev RSC Energia）

Astronauts Koichi Wakata and Soichi Noguchi participated in training sessions for the ISS Expedition 18 mission held at GCTC in Russia.

The two astronauts participated in training related to the Soyuz TMA spacecraft and the life support system for the Soyuz spacecraft and the Russian ISS modules, as well as simulations using full-scale mockups of the Soyuz spacecraft and the Russian ISS modules. They also donned their custom-made Sokol spacesuits and sat on the Soyuz spacecraft seat inside the vacuum chamber to check the spacesuits for leaks.

Astronaut Wakata also checked the Braslet, a belt-like instrument to wear around the groin, to see if it fit him properly. The Braslet is used to restrain excess blood flow to the head in microgravity. Astronaut Noguchi participated in the training on the automated KURS rendezvous and docking system of the Soyuz spacecraft and the attitude control system.

In addition, astronauts Wakata and Noguchi, along with NASA astronauts Sandra Magnus, who is assigned as another Expedition 18 crew member, and her backup, Nicole Stott, and NASA astronaut Michael Barret, who is assigned as a backup for NASA astronaut Michael Fincke for the Expedition 18 crew, visited RSC Energia, a developer of the Soyuz spacecraft and the Progress cargo spacecraft. The astronauts learned how to use the video and still cameras in the Russian segment of the ISS.

Returning Official Flight Kits for 1J/A Mission

Astronaut Doi (left) returning a school flag to Taiki High School and the student council president Miss Ayaka Tsutsumi (right)

During his temporary return to Japan, astronaut Doi attended a ceremony held at the JAXA Tokyo office located at Marunouchi, to return the items that were included in the Official Flight Kits (OFKs) and flown aboard the space shuttle Endeavour during the 1J/A (STS-123) mission.

Each space shuttle mission flies OFKs. The OFK contains requested items selected from many different organizations like schools and public or governmental institutions that the flight crew members are associated with. The OFK items are mostly flags, patches or other special awards. After their flights, the items will be returned to the respective organizations.

Astronaut Doi returned the following items that he had taken on the mission: the cheering banner with autographs of children of Mikunigaoka High School in Sakai-shi, Osaka, which he attended; gym cloths with a photograph of all the students from Fukushima 4th primary school in Fukushima-shi, Fukushima prefecture where he attended when he was in first grade; and the school flag of Taiki High School in Taiki-cho, Hiroo-gun, Hokkaido. Astronaut Doi returned the OFK with the message that more people will be able to travel freely to space and work there, and that he'd like to encourage the young people to do so in the future.

1J/A Mission

Tanegashima Space Camp 2008

Video conference

During "Tanegashima Space Camp 2008" hosted by the Kagoshima division of the Young Astronauts Club Japan, astronaut Yamazaki participated in the "Talk to Astronauts via video conference" session.

Astronaut Yamazaki participated in the video conference from Houston, the United States, and talked to children gathered at Tanegashima Space Center about her recent life and answered various questions they asked including those about training and space food. When she was asked about what led her to become an astronaut, she answered that it was the moment when as a child she saw craters on the face of the Moon and Saturn’s rings with a telescope. That made her want to be an astronaut for the first time. She also encouraged the children attending the camp.

"The 28th JAXA Town Meeting" in Inazawa

Astronaut Doi participates in town meeting

Astronaut Doi attended "The 28th JAXA Town Meeting” in Inazawa, Aichi prefecture, and described the 1J/A mission. He also exchanged views on utilization of ISS and the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo as well as development of Japan's own manned spacecraft.

During an active discussion, he expressed his view that utilization of Kibo and learning the way people live in space while operating the ISS will lead Japan's space exploration to the next stage and emphasized the importance of ISS program.

1J/A Mission