Akihiko Hoshide facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Akihiko Hoshide
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Hoshide in a spacesuit in 2012
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| Born | December 28, 1968 Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
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| Status | Active |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Alma mater | Keio University University of Houston |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Space career | |
| NASDA/JAXA astronaut | |
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Time in space
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340 days 11 hours 41 minutes |
| Selection | 1999 NASDA Group |
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Total EVAs
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4 |
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Total EVA time
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28 hours and 17 minutes |
| Missions | STS-124, Soyuz TMA-05M (Expedition 32/33), SpaceX Crew-2 (Expedition 65/66) |
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Mission insignia
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Akihiko Hoshide (星出 彰彦, Hoshide Akihiko, born December 28, 1968) is a Japanese engineer and JAXA astronaut. He even became a commander of the International Space Station (ISS). On August 30, 2012, Hoshide made history as the third Japanese astronaut to walk in space.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Akihiko Hoshide was born on December 28, 1968, in Tokyo, Japan. He studied at the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore. In 1992, he earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Keio University. Later, in 1997, he received a master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Houston.
Becoming an Astronaut
Hoshide joined the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) in 1992. He worked on developing the H-II rocket for two years. From 1994 to 1999, he helped train other astronauts. He even supported astronaut Koichi Wakata during his training for a space mission.
Astronaut Training and Roles
In February 1999, NASDA (now JAXA) chose Hoshide as one of three Japanese astronaut candidates. They were training for missions to the International Space Station (ISS). He started his basic astronaut training in April 1999. By January 2001, he was officially certified as an astronaut.
Since 2001, he has continued advanced training for the ISS. He also helped develop the equipment for the Japanese Experiment Module, called Kibō. He also worked on the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), which is a cargo spacecraft.
Underwater and Cave Training
From July 21 to July 29, 2014, Hoshide led a special mission called NEEMO 18. This mission took place underwater at the Aquarius Reef Base in Key Largo, Florida. He worked with other astronauts to practice living and working in extreme environments. This helped them prepare for space.
In 2016, he joined the ESA CAVES expedition. This involved spending two weeks underground in caves. He was with astronauts from different space agencies. This training helped them learn about teamwork and how to handle tough conditions, similar to spaceflight.
Space Missions
Akihiko Hoshide has flown to space on three different missions. Each mission helped build or operate the International Space Station.
STS-124: First Space Shuttle Mission
Hoshide's first trip to space was on Space Shuttle Discovery. This mission, called STS-124, launched on May 31, 2008. Its main goal was to deliver the second part of the Japanese Experiment Module, Kibō, to the ISS.
Discovery docked with the ISS on June 2, 2008. For eight days, the crew worked to install the Kibō module. Hoshide and another astronaut used a robotic arm to move the module from Discovery to its new spot on the station. The next day, the crews opened Kibō for the first time. Hoshide returned to Earth on June 14, 2008, after 13 days in space.
Expedition 32/33: Living on the ISS
In November 2009, Hoshide was chosen to be a flight engineer for ISS Expedition 32 and Expedition 33. He trained in Russia for this long-duration mission. On July 15, 2012, he launched aboard Soyuz TMA-05M with two other crew members. They arrived at the ISS on July 17, 2012.
Spacewalks and Cargo Missions
On August 27, 2012, Hoshide used the station's robotic arm to capture a Japanese cargo spacecraft, HTV-3. A few days later, on August 30, he performed his first spacewalk (EVA) with astronaut Sunita Williams. They spent over eight hours outside the station. During this spacewalk, they prepared equipment for future repairs.
On September 5, they went outside again for another spacewalk. They replaced a power unit and a camera on the station's robotic arm. On October 11, Hoshide and Williams successfully captured the first Cargo Dragon spacecraft. This was a new type of cargo ship bringing supplies to the ISS.
On November 1, Hoshide completed his third spacewalk. This made him the Japanese astronaut with the most time spent spacewalking. After 127 days in space, Hoshide and his crewmates landed safely in Kazakhstan on November 18, 2012.
Expedition 65/66: Commander of the ISS
Hoshide went to space for his third mission in 2021. He launched aboard SpaceX Crew-2. He served as a flight engineer for Expedition 65. On April 27, 2021, Hoshide took command of the ISS. He became only the second Japanese astronaut to lead the space station.
See also
In Spanish: Akihiko Hoshide para niños
