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Akihiko Hoshide
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Photo: NASA
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Akihiko
Hoshide was born on December 28, 1968 in Setagaya Tokyo, Japan. He Graduated
from the United World College of South-East Asia, Singapore in 1987 and went to
Keio University. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in
1992. Hoshide also holds a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering
from the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering that he received
in 1997. Hoshide joined the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA)
in 1992. he spent his first to years at NASDA as a member of the Nagoya Office
contributing to the development of Japan’s H-II Launch Vehicle. In 1994, he
started working as an astronaut support engineer in the NASDA Astronaut Office
supporting the development of the astronaut training program and the evaluation
of crew interface designs. Aki Hoshide was selected as one of three Japanese
astronaut candidates for the International Space Station (ISS) by the Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency in 1999. He started two years of basic space flight
training that he completed in 2001 when he transitioned to ISS Advanced
Training.
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Working for JAXA, he was involved in the development of the hardware
and operation of the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” and the H-IIA Transfer
Vehicle (HTV). Hoshide was trained for missions aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA
Vehicle as a flight engineer. In May 2004, he completed training at the Yuri
Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Star City, Russia. Afterwards, the
reported to the Johnson Space Center for Astronaut Candidate Training. This
training 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. In February 2006
he completed NASA Training. After completing astronauts training, Hoshide
worked in several positions in the Astronaut Office, both at JAXA and NASA. He
completed technical assignments and worked as a capsule communicator (CAPCOM)
in Mission Control Center for the ISS and the Space Shuttle. In addition, he
supported technical coordination for Kibo and HTV.
Aki Hoshide is a veteran of one space flight, spending 13 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes and 7 seconds traveling 5,735.643 miles aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on Mission STS-124 in 2008. Discovery launched on May 31, 2008 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida on a Mission to the International Space Station in support of ISS Construction. The mission delivered the Japanese Experiment Module, also called Kibo, to the Space Station. Also, the Remote Manipulator System of the Kibo Module was inside Discovery’s Payload Bay. STS-124 Shuttle astronauts delivered the 11-meter Kibo lab, relocated its rooftop storage room, conducted 3 spacewalks required to maintain the station and to prime the new Japanese module and its robotic arm for work. STS-124 was also a crew rotation flight, delivering Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff to ISS and bringing Garrett Reisman back to Earth. During the mission, Hoshide worked inside Kibo to activate and outfit the new module after he operated the Station’s Robotic Arm to install the laboratory module on the Space Station.
Later, Aki Hoshide was selected for a long duration space flight to be a member of the International Space Station Expedition 32/33 crew launching aboard Soyuz TMA-05M for a six-month mission to the station in 2012.
In his free time, Hoshide enjoys flying, rugby football, swimming, snow skiing, and travelling.
Aki Hoshide is a veteran of one space flight, spending 13 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes and 7 seconds traveling 5,735.643 miles aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on Mission STS-124 in 2008. Discovery launched on May 31, 2008 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida on a Mission to the International Space Station in support of ISS Construction. The mission delivered the Japanese Experiment Module, also called Kibo, to the Space Station. Also, the Remote Manipulator System of the Kibo Module was inside Discovery’s Payload Bay. STS-124 Shuttle astronauts delivered the 11-meter Kibo lab, relocated its rooftop storage room, conducted 3 spacewalks required to maintain the station and to prime the new Japanese module and its robotic arm for work. STS-124 was also a crew rotation flight, delivering Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff to ISS and bringing Garrett Reisman back to Earth. During the mission, Hoshide worked inside Kibo to activate and outfit the new module after he operated the Station’s Robotic Arm to install the laboratory module on the Space Station.
Later, Aki Hoshide was selected for a long duration space flight to be a member of the International Space Station Expedition 32/33 crew launching aboard Soyuz TMA-05M for a six-month mission to the station in 2012.
In his free time, Hoshide enjoys flying, rugby football, swimming, snow skiing, and travelling.
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