Koichi Wakata Facts for Kids

The native form of this personal name is Watata Kōichi. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Quick facts for kids Koichi Wakata
Wakata in 2022
Born	(1963-08-01) 1 August 1963 (age 61) Ōmiya, Saitama, Japan
Occupation	Structural Engineer
Space career
NASDA/JAXA astronaut
Time in space	504 days, 18 hours, 33 minutes
Selection	1992 NASDA Group
Total EVAs	2
Total EVA time	14 hours, 2 minutes
Missions	STS-72 STS-92 STS-119/127 (Expedition 18/19/20) Soyuz TMA-11M (Expedition 38/39) SpaceX Crew-5 (Expedition 68)
Mission insignia
Retirement	31 March 2024

Koichi Wakata (若田光一, Wakata Kōichi, born 1 August 1963) is a Japanese engineer and an astronaut. He worked for JAXA until 2024. Now, he works for Axiom Space.

Wakata has flown on many space missions. He has been on four NASA Space Shuttle missions. He also flew on a Russian Soyuz mission. He spent a long time living on the International Space Station (ISS). In total, he has spent over 500 days in space!

During Expedition 39, he made history. He became the first Japanese person to command the International Space Station. On one of his flights, he even had a robot friend named Kirobo with him.

Becoming an Astronaut
- Joining JAXA
His Space Missions
After JAXA
Personal Life
Awards and Recognition
Images for kids
See also

Becoming an Astronaut

Koichi Wakata was born in Ōmiya, Saitama, Japan. He loved learning about how things fly. He earned degrees in Aeronautical Engineering and Applied Mechanics. Later, he got a Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering. Before becoming an astronaut, he worked as an engineer for Japan Airlines.

Joining JAXA

In 1992, Koichi Wakata was chosen by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). This agency is now called JAXA. He then trained at NASA's Johnson Space Center in the United States.

Wakata took on many important roles. He helped with a robotic arm experiment for the Japanese Experiment Module on the International Space Station. In 2000, he became an instructor for robotics at NASA.

In 2006, he commanded a special mission called NEEMO. This mission was a seven-day trip underwater. It took place in an underwater lab off the coast of Florida. This helped astronauts prepare for life in space. After that, he trained to fly on Russian Soyuz spacecraft. This training was for his long stays on the ISS.

His Space Missions

Wakata's first trip to space was in 1996 on STS-72. He went back to space in 2000 on STS-92. He has also spent a lot of time living on the International Space Station.

STS-72 Mission

On his first mission, STS-72, Wakata became the first Japanese mission specialist. The crew brought back a Japanese satellite called the Space Flyer Unit. They also practiced techniques for building the International Space Station.

During this mission, Wakata and fellow astronaut Dan Barry did something fun. They were the first people to play the game Go in space! They used a special Go set made for space.

Wakata giving a thumbs-up as he arrives at Kennedy Space Center for the launch of the STS-92 mission

STS-92 Mission

On STS-92, Wakata became the first Japanese astronaut to help build the International Space Station. The crew used the Discovery’s robotic arm. They attached important parts to the station. This mission helped get the station ready for its first permanent crew.

Long Stays on the ISS

Koichi Wakata has spent a lot of time living and working on the International Space Station.

Expeditions 18, 19, and 20

In 2009, Wakata launched to the ISS on STS-119. He was the first JAXA astronaut to live on the station for a long time. He worked as a flight engineer for Expedition 18, Expedition 19, and Expedition 20. He returned to Earth four and a half months later on STS-127.

Wakata is famous for being the first person to serve on five different crews without returning to Earth. These were STS-119, Expedition 18, Expedition 19, Expedition 20, and STS-127.

While on the station, he did fun experiments suggested by the public. These included flying a "magic carpet" and doing pushups. He even wore the same special underpants for a month without washing them for an experiment!

Wakata demonstrating medical ultrasound equipment during Expedition 38

Expeditions 38 and 39

In November 2013, Wakata returned to the ISS on Soyuz TMA-11M. This was for another six-month mission. During this time, he worked closely with Kirobo. Kirobo was a special robot designed to be a companion. They did experiments together, including the first-ever human-robot conversation in space!

In March 2014, Wakata became the commander of the International Space Station for Expedition 39. This was a big moment! He was the first Japanese astronaut to be the ISS commander. He was also only the third astronaut who was not from Russia or America to lead the station. He returned to Earth in May 2014.

SpaceX Crew-5 Mission

In 2022, Wakata went back to the ISS on the SpaceX Crew-5 flight. This was another long-duration mission for him.

After JAXA

Koichi Wakata retired from JAXA in March 2024. Soon after, he joined Axiom Space. He now works there as an astronaut and Chief Technical Officer for the Asia-Pacific Region.

Personal Life

Koichi Wakata is married to Stefanie von Sachsen-Altenburg. They have a son. Wakata is also a skilled pilot. He has flown many different types of aircraft for over 2100 hours.