Japanese astronaut Yui meets reporters ahead of his ISS mission
Japanese astronaut Yui Kimiya, who will begin his second long-term stay at the International Space Station as early as July, says he wants his mission to give courage and hope to the Japanese people.
Yui made the remark when he spoke to reporters in Tokyo on Wednesday. He conducted his first long-term mission at the ISS in 2015.
He will head for the ISS aboard US private sector spacecraft Crew Dragon.
Japanese astronaut Onishi Takuya, who has been staying at the ISS since March, is scheduled to hand over duties to Yui.
The two joined the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency at the same time. Referring to this, Yui said he and Onishi are extremely close friends. He added he looks forward to the rare opportunity of meeting a friend in outer space.
Japan's new cargo transfer spacecraft HTV-X may dock at the ISS for the first time while Yui is staying there. He said he aims to catch the spacecraft swiftly and gently with a robotic arm upon its arrival.
Yui said he hopes to come up with worthy results to fulfill global-scale expectations.
Yui is scheduled to undergo final training for his mission in the United States.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
16 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Japan's final H2A rocket successfully lifts off, ends 24-yr career
TANEGASHIMA, Kagoshima (Kyodo) -- Japan successfully launched its 50th and final H2A liquid-fuel rocket from a southwestern Japan island on Sunday, drawing the curtain on the series' 24-year career in support of the country's space development program. The H2A rocket, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, has been replaced as the country's mainstay space vehicle by the H3 rocket, which offers a lower launch service price. The final H2A rocket, which blasted off from Tanegashima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture at 1:33 a.m., placed in orbit a government satellite for observing greenhouse gas levels and monitoring climate change. The satellite separated from the rocket at an altitude of around 670 kilometers near the equator and deployed its solar panels, with its operation confirmed by JAXA. "I was more nervous than ever about the launch and feel like I'm still dreaming. We achieved our long-cherished goal of a 98 percent success rate," said Keiji Suzuki, a Mitsubishi Heavy official in charge of the rocket launch. At a park near the Tanegashima Space Center, around 1,300 people gathered early Sunday to watch the launch, cheering as the rocket ascended in the darkness. "I was impressed by the loud sound and light. I'm excited to see the next H3 rocket," said 7-year-old Hikari Nagoe. Since 2001, the H2A series has supported the country's aerospace exploration by sending satellites and probes into space, raising its reliability over time. Its long career was rocky at times. The No. 6 rocket failed in 2003 when a booster did not separate and the ground crew ordered its destruction. It was discovered later that a damaged jet nozzle was the cause of the breakdown. It took one year and three months until the succeeding No. 7 flew successfully after alterations were made. Sunday's launch was postponed by Mitsubishi Heavy from June 24 due to an equipment abnormality. The H3 rocket, also developed by Mitsubishi Heavy and JAXA, is expected to help the country gain a foothold in the satellite-launch business that has become increasingly competitive with the rise of SpaceX of the United States. The H3 rocket debuted in March 2023 but its maiden flight ended with a self-destruct order minutes after liftoff due to the failure of the second-stage engine to ignite. The succeeding launches, including the latest No. 5 in February, have been successful.
Kyodo News
17 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Japan's final H2A rocket successfully lifts off, ends 24-yr career
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 10:08 | All, Japan Japan successfully launched its 50th and final H2A liquid-fuel rocket from a southwestern Japan island on Sunday, drawing the curtain on the series' 24-year career in support of the country's space development program. The H2A rocket, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, has been replaced as the country's mainstay space vehicle by the H3 rocket, which offers a lower launch service price. The final H2A rocket, which blasted off from Tanegashima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture at 1:33 a.m., placed in orbit a government satellite for observing greenhouse gas levels and monitoring climate change. The satellite separated from the rocket at an altitude of around 670 kilometers near the equator and deployed its solar panels, with its operation confirmed by JAXA. "I was more nervous than ever about the launch and feel like I'm still dreaming. We achieved our long-cherished goal of a 98 percent success rate," said Keiji Suzuki, a Mitsubishi Heavy official in charge of the rocket launch. At a park near the Tanegashima Space Center, around 1,300 people gathered early Sunday to watch the launch, cheering as the rocket ascended in the darkness. "I was impressed by the loud sound and light. I'm excited to see the next H3 rocket," said 7-year-old Hikari Nagoe. Since 2001, the H2A series has supported the country's aerospace exploration by sending satellites and probes into space, raising its reliability over time. Its long career was rocky at times. The No. 6 rocket failed in 2003 when a booster did not separate and the ground crew ordered its destruction. It was discovered later that a damaged jet nozzle was the cause of the breakdown. It took one year and three months until the succeeding No. 7 flew successfully after alterations were made. Sunday's launch was postponed by Mitsubishi Heavy from June 24 due to an equipment abnormality. The H3 rocket, also developed by Mitsubishi Heavy and JAXA, is expected to help the country gain a foothold in the satellite-launch business that has become increasingly competitive with the rise of SpaceX of the United States. The H3 rocket debuted in March 2023 but its maiden flight ended with a self-destruct order minutes after liftoff due to the failure of the second-stage engine to ignite. The succeeding launches, including the latest No. 5 in February, have been successful. Related coverage: Japan ispace fails in bid for 1st Moon landing by Asian private firm Astronaut Onishi blasts off on mission as 3rd Japanese to lead ISS Japan firm's rover ends mission on Moon, gives up surface exploration
Japan Times
20 hours ago
- Japan Times
Japan's H2A rocket retired after successful final launch
Japan's flagship H2A rocket lifted off for the final time at 1:33 a.m. on Sunday from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, successfully concluding a 24-year run that has defined the nation's space capabilities. The rocket's 50th and final mission carrieds the GOSAT-GW, a government-developed hybrid environmental observation satellite. The satellite combines the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for monitoring ocean surface temperatures and water cycle dynamics with the TANSO sensor, which measures greenhouse gases, and is expected to play a key role in the country's climate change mitigation and resource management. With this final launch, the H2A retires with a stellar track record — 49 successful launches out of 50, a success rate of 98%. Jointly developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the 53-meter rocket debuted in 2001 and quickly became the workhorse of the country's space program. Some of H2A's most vital payloads were weather and reconnaissance satellites that support the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System. It also enabled landmark missions such as the 2014 launch of the Hayabusa2 asteroid probe, which successfully returned samples from the asteroid Ryugu to Earth, and contributed to Japan's first successful lunar landing in January 2024 by carrying the SLIM lander. Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the launch was delayed after an anomaly was detected in the rocket's second-stage electrical system. Engineers completed the necessary repairs and re-inspections before clearing it for flight. The decision to retire the H2A comes amid rising global competition in the space launch industry, where cost-efficiency has become a key differentiator. While the H2A offered world-class reliability, its average per-launch cost of around ¥10 billion ($69 million) made it increasingly difficult to compete with rockets with lower price— to— payload prices, such as SpaceX's Falcon 9. With the H2A now phased out, attention turns to its successor, the H3 rocket. Co-developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the H3 offers lower launch costs and increased launch frequency amid intensifying international competition. While its debut flight in March 2023 ended in failure, the program has since rebounded with four consecutive successful launches. The upcoming sixth H3 mission, scheduled for later in this year, will mark a key milestone. The rocket will be the first in its 30 configuration, using three liquid-propellant engines and no solid rocket boosters — a test of its low-cost configuration and a step toward Japan's effort to build a globally competitive launch platform.
