Astronaut Biography: Akihiko Hoshide

Astronaut Biography: Akihiko Hoshide
Akihiko Hoshide, STS-124 mission specialist representing the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). (Image credit: NASA)

NAME: Akihiko Hoshide
JAXA Astronaut

PERSONALDATA: Born in 1968in Tokyo, Japan. He enjoys flying, rugby football, swimming, snow skiing, andtravelling.

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

ORGANIZATIONS: The Japan Society for Aeronauticaland Space Sciences.

EXPERIENCE: Hoshide joined the National Space DevelopmentAgency of Japan (NASDA) in 1992. For two years, he worked as a member of theNagoya 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 NASDAAstronaut Office, supporting the development of the astronaut training programand the evaluation of crew interface designs. He also supported astronautKoichi Wakata during his training and mission on STS-72.

In February1999, Hoshide was selected NASDA (currently JAXA) as one of three Japaneseastronaut candidates for the International Space Station (ISS). He started theISS Astronaut Basic Training program in April 1999 and was certified as anastronaut in January 2001. Since April 2001, he has participated in ISS AdvancedTraining, as well as supporting the development of the hardware and operationof the Japanese Experiment Module ?Kibo? and the H-IIA Transfer Vehicle (HTV).

On October1, 2003, NASDA merged with ISAS (Institute of Space & Astronautic Science)and NAL (National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan) and was renamed JAXA (JapanAerospace Exploration Agency).

In May2004, he completed Soyuz- TMA Flight Engineer-1 training at the Yuri GagarinCosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Star City, Russia.

NASAEXPERIENCE: Hoshidearrived at the Johnson Space Center in May 2004. In February 2006 he completedAstronaut 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 survivaltraining. Completion of this initial training qualified him for varioustechnical assignments within the Astronaut Office. Hoshide is assigned to crewof STS-124. The STS-124 mission to the International Space Station will be thesecond of three flights that will launch components to complete the Japanese?Kibo? laboratory. Launch is targeted for May 2008.

  • Complete Space Shuttle Mission Coverage
  • All About the International Space Station
  • All About Astronauts

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

NASA Archives
U.S. Space Agency

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the U.S. government agency in charge of the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Founded in 1958, NASA is a civilian space agency aimed at exploring the universe with space telescopes,  satellites, robotic spacecraft, astronauts and more. The space agency has 10 major centers based across the U.S. and launches robotic and crewed missions from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida. It's astronaut corps is based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. To follow NASA's latest mission, follow the space agency on Twitter or any other social channel, of visit: nasa.gov