JAXA Astronaut Activity Report

ISS Expedition Operations Training

Astronaut Noguchi, assigned as an ISS Expedition 22/23 crew member, participated in training sessions on the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) and on Extravehicular Activity (EVA) in preparation for his upcoming ISS expedition mission.

Simulation training

He received HTV-related operations training at JAXA's Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC) and NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC). At TKSC, he simulated HTV-related operations that he will perform on orbit while the HTV "Technical Demonstration Vehicle" (maiden flight vehicle) is berthed to the ISS. He also simulated removing JAXA's external experiment, the Superconducting Submillimeter-Wave Limb Emission Sounder (SMILES), from HTV's Exposed Pallet and installing it on Kibo's Exposed Facility (EF) in cooperation with the ground team. Through this training, he further strengthened professional cooperation with the JAXA Flight Control Team (JFCT).

Along with Astronaut Noguchi, Astronaut Jeffrey Williams, assigned as an ISS Expedition 21/22 crew member, and Astronaut Shannon Walker, assigned as an ISS Expedition 24/25 crew member, participated in the simulation training. Japanese astronaut candidates Yui and Onishi attended the simulation training as observers as part of their basic training.

Astronaut Noguchi operating the SSRMS (right)

At JSC, Astronaut Noguchi conducted training using a simulator of the station's robotic arm, the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), and learned how to grab the HTV arriving at the berthing point and to install/remove it to/from the Harmony module. Astronaut Williams and Astronaut Timothy Creamer, assigned as an ISS Expedition 22/23 crew member, also participated in the training session.

Astronaut Noguchi simulating EVA tasks in the pool

In addition, Astronaut Noguchi received training in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) at JSC on external maintenance work of the ISS, which might be needed during the expedition mission.

Astronaut Noguchi checking experiment equipment

Astronaut Noguchi also learned how to use equipment for the experiment "Bisphosphonates", which is a Japan-U.S. joint research project designed to reduce bone loss and risk of urinary calculus formation during an ISS expedition mission.

ISS Emergency Fire Drill Training

Astronaut Furukawa moving inside a mockup with an oxygen mask on

Astronaut Furukawa reviewing procedures for responding to a fire

ISS Expedition 28/29 crew member Astronaut Furukawa participated in a fire drill as part of the ISS Emergency Training using the ISS full-scale mock-up training facility at JSC.

Astronaut Furukawa conducted the training assuming the fire had occurred in the Harmony module of the ISS. He reviewed the procedures of extinguishing the fire and closing the hatch of the module in order to protect other modules from the fire.

Fitting of and Review of Equipment for Flight Suits

Astronaut Yamazaki during her flight suit fitting

At JSC, Astronaut Yamazaki participated in the fitting of her flight suit that she will wear during the launch and the return flight on the space shuttle, in preparation for the STS-131 mission.

She sat on a mockup of the seat she will use during the space shuttle flight while wearing her pressurized orange flight suit to see if the suit fit properly.

The flight suit is equipped with survival gear, including parachute assembly, a small life raft, a two-way radio, a first-aid kit, drinking water, and an emergency oxygen system so that astronauts can survive until the rescue team arrives after they have evacuated the shuttle in an emergency during launch or descent. Astronaut Yamazaki reviewed how to use the survival gear on the flight suit.