Astronaut Biography: Akihiko Hoshide

NAME: Akihiko Hoshide
JAXA Astronaut

PERSONAL DATA: Born in 1968 in Tokyo, Japan. He enjoys flying, rugby football, swimming, snow skiing, and travelling.

EDUCATION: Graduated from the United World College of South-East Asia, Singapore, in 1987; received a bachelor?s degree in mechanical engineering from Keio University in 1992, and a master of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering in 1997.

ORGANIZATIONS: The Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences.

EXPERIENCE: Hoshide joined the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) in 1992. For two years, he worked as a member of the Nagoya Office and was involved in the development of the H-II launch vehicle. From 1994 to 1999, he worked as an astronaut support engineer for the NASDA Astronaut Office, supporting the development of the astronaut training program and the evaluation of crew interface designs. He also supported astronaut Koichi Wakata during his training and mission on STS-72.

In February 1999, Hoshide was selected NASDA (currently JAXA) as one of three Japanese astronaut candidates for the International Space Station (ISS). He started the ISS Astronaut Basic Training program in April 1999 and was certified as an astronaut in January 2001. Since April 2001, he has participated in ISS Advanced Training, as well as supporting the development of the hardware and operation of the Japanese Experiment Module ?Kibo? and the H-IIA Transfer Vehicle (HTV).

On October 1, 2003, NASDA merged with ISAS (Institute of Space & Astronautic Science) and NAL (National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan) and was renamed JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).

In May 2004, he completed Soyuz- TMA Flight Engineer-1 training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Star City, Russia.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Hoshide arrived at the Johnson Space Center in May 2004. In February 2006 he completed Astronaut Candidate Training that included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training, T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training. Completion of this initial training qualified him for various technical assignments within the Astronaut Office. Hoshide is assigned to crew of STS-124. The STS-124 mission to the International Space Station will be the second of three flights that will launch components to complete the Japanese ?Kibo? laboratory. Launch is targeted for May 2008.

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