JAXA Tests Skills of Astronaut Candidates in Lunar Simulation with Eye Towards Artemis Surface Missions NET 2025
2 woman and 8 men (out of 919 and 3,208 respective applicants) awaiting JAXA new astronaut class selection following final testing of rover / EVA aptitude in Space Exploration Field, a 400m2 lunar training replica containing 425,000 kg of silica sand (SiO2) within Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center at JAXA Sagamihara Campus; 2023 class of Japan Astronauts to be first including women since 1999 group, may also include candidates lacking formal postsecondary education; Space tourists Yusaku Maezawa and Steve Aoki may make lunar flyby on SpaceX Starship with #dearMoon NET 2023
Pictured: Exploration Hub Director Ikkoh Funaki, 2009 JAXA astronaut group; Credits: JAXA, @Astro_Wakata