Soichi Noguchi
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese aeronautical engineer and a JAXA
astronaut
. His first spaceflight was as a Mission Specialist aboard STS-114
on 26 July 2005 for NASA
's first "return to flight" Space Shuttle
mission after the Columbia disaster. He was most recently in space as part of the Soyuz TMA-17
crew and Expedition 22
to the International Space Station, returning to Earth on 2 June 2010. He is the fifth Japanese astronaut to fly in space and the fourth to fly on the space shuttle.
. He is married and has three children. His hobbies include jogging, basketball, skiing and camping.
, earning a bachelor's degree in 1989 and a master's degree in 1991, both in Aeronautical Engineering.
After graduation, Noguchi worked for Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries
, assigned to the research and development
department of their Aero-Engine and Space Operations division. He worked on aerodynamic design of commercial engines.
(now part of JAXA
) in June 1996. In August 1996, he reported to NASA's Johnson Space Center for NASA astronaut training. Noguchi qualified as a mission specialist after two years, and received training on Russian space systems at Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in 1998. He was assigned to technical support for the Japanese Experiment Module
of the International Space Station
and then, in April 2001, to the crew of STS-114
as a Mission Specialist.
Noguchi flew to the ISS on Soyuz TMA-17
on December 20, 2009. He served as a primary crew member (as Flight Engineer) of Expedition 22
and Expedition 23
. While in space, he took many photographs of Earth which he shared via Twitter
. He returned to Earth on 2 June 2010.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese aeronautical engineer and a JAXA
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
The , or JAXA, is Japan's national aerospace agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on October 1, 2003, as an Independent Administrative Institution administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the...
astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
. His first spaceflight was as a Mission Specialist aboard STS-114
STS-114
-Original crew:This mission was to carry the Expedition 7 crew to the ISS and bring home the Expedition 6 crew. The original crew was to be:-Mission highlights:...
on 26 July 2005 for NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's first "return to flight" Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle program
NASA's Space Shuttle program, officially called Space Transportation System , was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011...
mission after the Columbia disaster. He was most recently in space as part of the Soyuz TMA-17
Soyuz TMA-17
Soyuz TMA-17 was a human spaceflight mission to the International Space Station . TMA-17 crew members participated in ISS Expedition 22 and Expedition 23...
crew and Expedition 22
Expedition 22
Expedition 22 was the 22nd long duration crew flight to the International Space Station . This expedition began in November 2009 when the Expedition 21 crew departed. For a period of 3 weeks, there were only 2 crew members; it was the first time that had happened since STS-114 had delivered a third...
to the International Space Station, returning to Earth on 2 June 2010. He is the fifth Japanese astronaut to fly in space and the fourth to fly on the space shuttle.
Personal life
Soichi Noguchi was born in 1965 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. He considers Chigasaki, Kanagawa, Japan, to be his hometown. He holds flight instructor certificate as CFII and MEI. Noguchi was a Boy ScoutScout Association of Japan
The is the major Scouting organization of Japan. Starting as boys only, the organization was known as the Boy Scouts of Japan from 1922 until 1971, and as Boy Scouts of Nippon from 1971 to 1995, when it became coeducational in all sections, leading to neutral naming...
. He is married and has three children. His hobbies include jogging, basketball, skiing and camping.
Education
Noguchi graduated from Chigasaki-Hokuryo High School, in Chigasaki, in 1984, and then studied at the University of TokyoUniversity of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
, earning a bachelor's degree in 1989 and a master's degree in 1991, both in Aeronautical Engineering.
Engineering career
Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries
, formerly known as , is a Japanese company which produces ships, aero-engines, turbochargers for automobiles, industrial machines, power station boilers and other facilities, suspension bridges and other transport-related machinery....
, assigned to the research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
department of their Aero-Engine and Space Operations division. He worked on aerodynamic design of commercial engines.
Astronaut career
Noguchi was selected as an astronaut candidate by the National Space Development Agency of JapanJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency
The , or JAXA, is Japan's national aerospace agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on October 1, 2003, as an Independent Administrative Institution administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the...
(now part of JAXA
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
The , or JAXA, is Japan's national aerospace agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on October 1, 2003, as an Independent Administrative Institution administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the...
) in June 1996. In August 1996, he reported to NASA's Johnson Space Center for NASA astronaut training. Noguchi qualified as a mission specialist after two years, and received training on Russian space systems at Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in 1998. He was assigned to technical support for the Japanese Experiment Module
Japanese Experiment Module
The Japanese Experiment Module , also known with the nickname , is a Japanese science module for the International Space Station developed by JAXA. It is the largest single ISS module. The first two pieces of the module were launched on space shuttle missions STS-123 and STS-124...
of the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
and then, in April 2001, to the crew of STS-114
STS-114
-Original crew:This mission was to carry the Expedition 7 crew to the ISS and bring home the Expedition 6 crew. The original crew was to be:-Mission highlights:...
as a Mission Specialist.
Noguchi flew to the ISS on Soyuz TMA-17
Soyuz TMA-17
Soyuz TMA-17 was a human spaceflight mission to the International Space Station . TMA-17 crew members participated in ISS Expedition 22 and Expedition 23...
on December 20, 2009. He served as a primary crew member (as Flight Engineer) of Expedition 22
Expedition 22
Expedition 22 was the 22nd long duration crew flight to the International Space Station . This expedition began in November 2009 when the Expedition 21 crew departed. For a period of 3 weeks, there were only 2 crew members; it was the first time that had happened since STS-114 had delivered a third...
and Expedition 23
Expedition 23
Expedition 23 was the twenty-third long-duration mission to the International Space Station . Expedition 23 began with the Soyuz TMA-16 undocking on 18 March 2010. Shortly thereafter cosmonauts Aleksandr Skvortsov and Mikhail Korniyenko and astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson arrived at the Space...
. While in space, he took many photographs of Earth which he shared via Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
. He returned to Earth on 2 June 2010.