JAXA Astronaut Activity Report

TCDT before the STS-119 mission

Astronaut Wakata and the other STS-119 mission crew members participated in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) at NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) from January 19 to 21, 2009 (EDT). The TCDT is a rehearsal of the launch processing activities that the ground team and the mission crew perform on the launch day.

After the TCDT, the crew members returned to NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) to participate in their last training sessions before their mission. The training sessions included a review of the launch procedures using a mockup of the orbiter, and Extravehicular Activities (EVA) training using the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL).

	The three-year long training for the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 18 finally finished last January. Astronaut Wakata’s flight to the ISS is now only several weeks away. I’ll miss the days with Astronaut Wakata when we traveled around the world as a team for the training. I feel very happy to send him to the ISS with confidence as his backup because I know he has gone through all the training sessions with absolute perfection. Speaking of myself, I started training for the ISS Expedition 22/23 crew along with Astronaut Furukawa in January. We started with the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) training at JAXA's Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC), to be followed by training sessions on payloads and Kibo's robotic arm, the JEM Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS). I am trying hard to prepare for my flight aboard the Soyuz spacecraft that is scheduled to launch in December, so I will appreciate your continued support.

Training for H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) and the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo)

Astronaut Noguchi assigned, as a member of the ISS Expedition 22/23 crew, and astronaut Furukawa, his backup, participated in training sessions on the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) at JAXA’s Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC) to prepare for the long stay aboard the ISS.

During the sessions, they learned the overview of the HTV operations and its system operations, overall activities they will perform on orbit, and operation of the Exposed facility and HTV’s Unpressurized Logistics Carrier, which accommodates the Exposed facility during launch and deorbit.

Astronaut Furukawa also participated in the training for the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo). He reviewed the configuration of the RYUTAI Rack and the SAIBO Rack, and the functions of Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBFF), and learned to operate experiment support systems such as the Image-Processing Unit (IPU), Clean Bench (CB), Payload Laptop Terminal (PLT), and Microgravity Measurement Apparatus (MMA). He also participated in training on the maintenance of Kibo, and emergency responses in the case of system failures.

NASA-JAXA Joint Multi-Segment Training (JMST)

Astronauts Wakata and Hoshide participated in NASA-JAXA Joint Multi-Segment Training (JMST) at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) to simulate the operations during the STS-127 (2J/A) mission.

JMST is an operational simulation that NASA conducts by linking to the ISS international partners’ ground facilities and other remote control facilities through linked communication channels.

During the STS-127 mission, astronaut Wakata will install Kibo’s Exposed Facility (EF) among other tasks. Astronaut Hoshide will serve as an ISS Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) on the ground

During the JMST, they simulated installing the EF on the Pressurized Module (PM) in coordination with EVA crew members, as well as installing and removing the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section (ELM-ES) to/from the EF. This training helped strengthen cooperation among crew members including astronaut Wakata, and NASA-JAXA flight controllers including astronaut Hoshide.

2J/A Mission

Columbus Training at ESA

Astronaut Furukawa participated in the training on European Space Agency (ESA)’s Columbus module at the European Astronaut Center (EAC) in Germany.

This training was designed for the astronauts assigned to the ISS expedition missions to acquire required knowledge and skills for operating equipment on board Columbus.

During the training, he learned system operations of the thermal control system, electrical power system, and data management system of the Columbus laboratory, and learned the equipment housed in the European Physiology Modules (EPM) and the Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL).