JAXA Astronaut Activity Report

Astronaut Hoshide at the "Keio University 150th Anniversary Commemorativeonve Ceremony"

Astronaut Hoshide giving a lecture（©Keio University/JAXA）

Astronaut Hoshide (left) and President Yuichiro Anzai of Keio University (right) participating in a panel discussion（©Keio University/JAXA）

Astronaut Hoshide was invited to Keio University, his alma mater, for its 150th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony and gave a lecture at the Keio University Hiyoshi Campus.

In the lecture titled “Design the Future,” astronaut Hoshide discussed his experiences including his journey to realizing his dream to become an astronaut and how he felt when his dream came true, while talking about the STS-124 (1J) Mission.

After the lecture, a panel discussion with a quiz session and a question-and-answer session was held with the Hiyoshi campus linked to sites in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand by network. Astronaut Hoshide answered questions from the students attending each overseas site; during the discussion, the students actively exchanged their opinions.

The Official Flight Kits (OFKs) flown in space during the STS-124 mission with astronaut Hoshide were also returned to the university during the session. The OFKs contain requested items selected from different organizations that the flight crew members are associated with. They are flown aboard the space shuttles, and after their flights, the items will be returned to the providing organization. Astronaut Hoshide returned the items provided by Keio University, “a copy of Dokuritsu Jison no Sho (Independent Self-Esteem)“ written by its founder, FUKUZAWA Yukichi, and an “aluminum abacus.”

At the end of the lecture, astronaut Hoshide brought cheers from the participating students by saying, “Now it is often said that the next step is to go to the Moon and Mars. I hope one of you will become an astronaut who will go to the Moon or Mars.”

1J Mission

Technical Review of robotics operations for the Exposed Facility installation

Astronaut Wakata participated in a technical review held at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in preparation for the STS-127 (2J/A) mission.

Kibo’s Exposed Facility (EF) will be attached to the Pressurized Module (PM) during the 2J/A (STS-127) Mission. The Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) operated by a crew member inside the International Space Station (ISS) will grapple Kibo’s EF and attach it to the PM.

The technical review was conducted to assess the feasibility of robotically installing the EF using only video images from external cameras and without the support of Extravehicular Activity (EVA) crew members. In September 2008, astronaut Yamazaki participated in a technical review to examine and select the appropriate video angles for the robotics operations during the EF installation.

Astronaut Wakata manipulated the hand controller of the SSRMS simulator and confirmed that the EF can be moved towards and attached to the PM’s Exposed Facility Berthing Mechanism (EFBM) with only camera vision.

2J/A Mission

Visiting Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft launch

Soyuz TMA-13 launch（Image credit: NASA）

Astronaut Wakata, who is assigned as a crew member for the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 18, and his backup, astronaut Noguchi, visited the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to see the launch of the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft (17S) that carried two Expedition 18 crew members to the ISS.

Astronaut Wakata will fly to the ISS on the STS-119 (15A) Mission scheduled to launch in February 2009 and will join the Expedition 18 crew.

ISS Expedition Operations Training in Russia

Astronaut Furukawa during training on the potable water dispenser in the "Zvezda"（©JAXA/GCTC）

Astronaut Noguchi, who is assigned as an Expedition 22/23 crew member and his backup Furukawa, participated in the training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Russia on the ISS Russian modules and Soyuz TMA spacecraft.

Through lectures and training using simulators, the two astronauts obtained further knowledge about the Soyuz TMA spacecraft’s life support system and communications system, as well as the Russian module’s thermal control system and communications system. They also participated in manual rendezvous and docking training using a Soyuz TMA simulator.

Returning OFKs for STS-123 Mission

Astronaut Doi giving lecture at Maizuru elementary school（©Kofu city hall）

Astronaut Doi returned the STS-123 OFKs provided by Ibaraki Prefecture and Kofu City, Yamanashi prefecture and flown aboard the space shuttle with him.

The OFKs contain requested items selected from organizations that the flight crew members are associated with. These items are flown aboard the space shuttle as OFKs and will be returned to the providing organization.

Ibaraki had provided its prefectural flag and Kofu City had provided a city flag with written messages from citizens of Kofu as OFKs, and these items had been flown aboard the space shuttle.

Astronaut Doi visited the municipal government building of Ibaraki Prefecture in Mito City and Maizuru elementary school in Kofu City. After returning the OFKs, he presented a lecture titled "Go for the Space - Age of Human Spaceflight - " at both site.

Astronaut Doi returning Ibaraki prefecture flag (From left to right: Governor Hashimoto and astronaut Doi) (Image credit: Ibaraki Pref.)

Astronaut Doi awarded honorary citizenship (from front: Governor Hashimoto and astronaut Doi) (Image credit: Ibaraki Pref.)

Astronaut Doi gave commentary on the mission and described the events during the mission, sometimes showing video images from STS-123. After his lecture, children asked him many questions such as why he had become an astronaut, or if he had a chance to meet aliens. Astronaut Doi concluded his lecture by leaving a message to the children, "Space is waiting for you. Try reaching there."

Astronaut Doi also was also praised for giving dreams and hopes to the Ibaraki citizens, and received the Ibaraki Citizen's Honor Award for the second time. He had received this award earlier for his first flight on the STS-87 mission.

1J/A Mission