Soichi Noguchi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Soichi Noguchi
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Noguchi at Ellington Field in 2020
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| Born | 15 April 1965 Yokohama, Japan
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| Status | Retired |
| Nationality |  Japan |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Space career | |
| NASDA/JAXA astronaut | |
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Time in space
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344 days 9 hours 33 minutes |
| Selection | 1996 NASDA Group |
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Total EVAs
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4 |
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Total EVA time
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27h 01min |
| Missions | STS-114, Soyuz TMA-17 (Expedition 22/23), SpaceX Crew-1 (Expedition 64/65) |
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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 has flown to space three times.
His first trip was on the Space Shuttle mission STS-114 in 2005. This was a very important flight for NASA after the Columbia accident. He then flew to the International Space Station (ISS) on Soyuz TMA-17 as part of Expedition 22 and 23 from 2009 to 2010.
His third mission was on the Dragon 2 capsule for SpaceX Crew-1. This mission launched in November 2020 and landed in May 2021. Soichi Noguchi is the sixth Japanese astronaut to fly in space. He is also the first Japanese astronaut to fly on a Crew Dragon spacecraft. He is one of only three astronauts to have flown on three different types of spacecraft.
He retired from being an astronaut and left JAXA in June 2022.
Contents
About Soichi Noguchi
Soichi Noguchi was born in 1965 in Yokohama, Japan. He grew up in Chigasaki, Japan. He enjoys jogging, playing basketball, skiing, and camping. He was also a Boy Scout.
His Education and Training
Noguchi finished high school in Chigasaki in 1984. He then went to the University of Tokyo. He earned two degrees in Aeronautical Engineering by 1991. Later, in 2020, he earned a Ph.D. from the same university.
After college, Noguchi worked as an engineer. He designed parts for airplane engines.
Becoming an Astronaut
The National Space Development Agency of Japan (now JAXA) chose Noguchi to be an astronaut in 1996. He started his training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in the United States. After two years, he became a qualified mission specialist. He also trained in Russia for their space systems.
In 2013, Noguchi took part in a special training program called ESA CAVES. He explored caves in Sardinia with other astronauts. This training helps astronauts prepare for working in difficult environments.
Space Missions
Soichi Noguchi has flown on three different space missions. Each mission was unique and important.
STS-114: Return to Flight
In 2001, Noguchi was chosen for the STS-114 mission. This flight was planned for 2003. However, the Space Shuttle Columbia accident happened in 2003. This caused all Space Shuttle flights to be delayed.
STS-114 became the "return to flight" mission. It was the first Space Shuttle mission after the accident. The main goal was to check the shuttle's safety. It also brought supplies to the ISS.
The mission launched on July 26, 2005, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Before docking with the ISS, the shuttle did a special flip. This allowed astronauts on the ISS to take pictures of the shuttle's heat shield. This was to check for any damage.
During this mission, Noguchi performed three spacewalks. He worked outside the ISS with another astronaut. They tested ways to fix the shuttle's heat shield. They also upgraded and maintained the space station. In total, Noguchi spent over 20 hours outside the station.
Noguchi and his crew returned to Earth on August 9, 2005. The mission lasted almost 14 days.
Expedition 22/23: Living on the ISS
After STS-114, Noguchi was assigned to live on the ISS. He launched on December 21, 2009, aboard a Soyuz TMA-17 spacecraft. He was the first JAXA astronaut to fly on a Soyuz.
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He joined the Expedition 22 crew on the ISS. During this time, the Space Shuttle Endeavour visited. It delivered new parts like the Node 3 module and the Cupola. The Cupola is a special windowed area on the ISS.
Noguchi then became part of Expedition 23. During this expedition, two more Space Shuttles visited. One brought new supplies. Another brought the Russian Rassvet module. For a short time, two Japanese astronauts were in space together.
Noguchi returned to Earth on June 1, 2010. He spent 163 days in space on this mission. This brought his total space time to 177 days.
Expedition 64/65: Flying on Crew Dragon
In 2017, JAXA announced Noguchi would fly to the ISS again. In March 2020, he was assigned to SpaceX Crew-1. This was the first regular flight of a SpaceX Dragon 2 spacecraft.
Noguchi launched on November 15, 2020. He became a member of the Expedition 64 crew on the ISS. He is the third person ever, and the first non-American, to fly on three different types of spacecraft: the Space Shuttle, the Soyuz, and the Dragon 2.
During this mission, he performed his fourth spacewalk. He spent almost 7 hours outside the ISS. He holds a world record for the longest time between two spacewalks by the same person.
Other Interesting Facts
Soichi Noguchi has done some other cool things.
- He voiced himself in two episodes of the Japanese anime series Uchū Kyōdai (Space Brothers).
- In 2015, he spoke to over 33,000 fellow Scouts at a big event in Japan.
- In 2021, he was recognized as a "Genius 100 Visionary." He shared his ideas about the future while he was still on the International Space Station.
See also
In Spanish: Soichi Noguchi para niños
