The first Japanese astronaut to participate in building ISS

Japan Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) yesterday said astronaut Koichi Wakata will be the first Japanese to participate in the construction of the International Space Station (ISS) in a 3-month space flight. next.

Wakata, 43, will work as a flight engineer and will complete the construction of Japan's first space lab on ISS. He will also perform many space experiments at the Kibo laboratory.

An American space shuttle will take Wakata to ISS in the summer of 2008, where he will work with an American astronaut and a Russian astronaut. He is expected to return to Earth at the end of 2008.

Soichi Noguchi, an astronaut from Yokohama, will replace Wakata if he cannot depart for this important mission. Both astronauts are being trained for this trip.

ISS construction is scheduled to be completed in 2010, with the participation of 16 countries, including the US, Japan, Russia and other European countries.

Astronaut Koichi Wakata (Photo: Jaxa)

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