Soichi Noguchi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Soichi Noguchi
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Noguchi in 2020
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| Born | 15 April 1965 Yokohama, Japan
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| Status | Retired |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Space career | |
| JAXA astronaut | |
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Time in space
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344 days, 9 hours, 33 minutes |
| Selection | 1996 NASDA Group NASA Group 16 (1996) |
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Total EVAs
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4 |
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Total EVA time
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27 hours, 1 minute |
| Missions |
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Mission insignia
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Soichi Noguchi (野口 聡一, Noguchi Sōichi, born 15 April 1965) is a Japanese aeronautical engineer and former JAXA astronaut. He is famous for being one of the few astronauts to fly on three different types of spacecraft!
His first trip to space was on the Space Shuttle mission STS-114 in 2005. This was a very important flight for NASA after the Columbia accident. He also flew on a Soyuz TMA-17 spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2009.
In 2020, he made history again by flying on the Dragon 2 capsule for the SpaceX Crew-1 mission. This made him the first Japanese astronaut to fly on a Crew Dragon spacecraft. He is also the sixth Japanese astronaut to fly in space.
Soichi Noguchi retired from being an astronaut and left JAXA on June 1, 2022. He now holds several important positions, including honorary director of the CupNoodles Museum.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Soichi Noguchi was born in 1965 in Yokohama, Japan. He grew up in Chigasaki, Japan. He was a Boy Scout and enjoys activities like jogging, basketball, skiing, and camping. He also has a license to teach people how to fly airplanes.
Noguchi's School Journey
Noguchi finished high school in Chigasaki in 1984. He then went to the University of Tokyo. He earned two degrees there in Aeronautical Engineering: a Bachelor of Science in 1989 and a Master of Science in 1991. Later, in 2020, he also received a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo.
Working as an Engineer
After college, Noguchi worked for a company called Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries. He helped design parts for airplane engines.
Becoming an Astronaut
Soichi Noguchi was chosen to be an astronaut by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (now JAXA) in June 1996. He then went to NASA's Johnson Space Center in the United States for astronaut training. After two years, he became a qualified mission specialist. He also trained in Russia to learn about their space systems.
Noguchi helped with the technical support for the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo) on the International Space Station. In 2013, he also took part in a special training program called ESA CAVES in Italy. This training helps astronauts prepare for exploring caves, which is similar to exploring other planets.
Space Missions
Soichi Noguchi has flown on three different types of spacecraft and completed three space missions.
STS-114: Return to Flight
In April 2001, Noguchi was assigned to the STS-114 mission. This flight was very important because it was the first Space Shuttle mission after the Columbia accident in 2003. The mission's goal was to test new safety procedures and deliver supplies to the ISS.
The Space Shuttle Discovery launched on July 26, 2005. Before docking with the ISS, the shuttle performed a special flip maneuver. This allowed the astronauts on the station to take pictures of the shuttle's heat shield to check for any damage. This check was added after the Columbia accident.
During this mission, Noguchi performed three spacewalks with fellow astronaut Stephen Robinson. They spent over 20 hours outside the station. They tested ways to repair the shuttle's heat shield and helped upgrade the space station. Noguchi and his crew returned to Earth on August 9, 2005, after a 13-day mission.
Expedition 22/23: Living on the ISS
After STS-114, Noguchi was chosen to live on the International Space Station for a long time. He launched on December 21, 2009, aboard a Soyuz TMA-17 spacecraft. He was the first JAXA astronaut to fly on a Soyuz.
During his time on the ISS, the crew welcomed the Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-130). This shuttle delivered new parts to the station, including the Cupola, a module with large windows. He also saw the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-131) and Atlantis (STS-132) visit the station. During STS-131, another Japanese astronaut, Naoko Yamazaki, joined him on the ISS for a short time. This was the first time two Japanese citizens were in space together!
Noguchi returned to Earth on June 1, 2010, after spending 163 days in space. This brought his total time in space to 177 days.
Expedition 64/65: Flying on Crew Dragon
On November 15, 2020, Noguchi launched on the SpaceX Crew-1 mission aboard a SpaceX Dragon 2 spacecraft. This was the first regular operational flight of a Crew Dragon. He flew with NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker.
This flight made him the third person ever, and the first non-American, to launch on three different types of spacecraft: the Space Shuttle, the Soyuz, and the Dragon 2. During this mission, he performed his fourth spacewalk on March 5, 2021, spending almost 7 hours outside the ISS. He holds a world record for the longest time between two spacewalks by the same person – over 15 years!
Other Interesting Facts
Soichi Noguchi has also been involved in other cool projects:
- He voiced himself in two episodes of the Japanese anime series Uchū Kyōdai (which means Space Brothers).
- In 2015, he spoke to over 33,000 fellow Scouts at the 23rd World Scout Jamboree in Japan.
- In 2021, he was recognized as a "Genius 100 Visionary" and shared his ideas about the future while he was still on the International Space Station.
See also
In Spanish: Soichi Noguchi para niños
