Category Archives: Astronaut Training

Tuesday / 29 October 2024

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JAXA Certifies First New Astronauts in 13 Years, Will Participate in Artemis Mission

JAXA certifies 2 astronauts to take part in Artemis Moon mission; Ayu Yoneda completed medical doctor training in 2019, has been working as a surgeon, is the youngest JAXA astronaut at 29; Makoto Suwa, 46, is a businessman with a PhD in climate science from Duke, when in elementary school met Eugene Cernan; they were selected from 4,100+ applicants, have completed a year of basic training in Japan, will travel to NASA Johnson to continue training

Credits: Ayu Yoneda, Makoto Suwa, NASA, JAXA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 May 2024

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Artemis Advancing with Launch Pad Infrastructure Build-out, Moonwalking and Geology Training, Space Diplomacy

NASA Exploration Ground Systems with Bechtel National contractor working to complete electrical and plumbing of permanent mount structure at KSC for Mobile Launcher 2, where Artemis missions to return humans to Moon will launch; Astronauts (L-R) Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas to practice Moon surface EVA simulation 13-20 May at San Francisco Volcanic Field near Flagstaff AZ; NASA engineers / flight directors conducting exercises in northern Arizona under direction of Cindy Evans (JSC), preparatory to Artemis geology missions; NASA Administrator Bill Nelson meeting with Italy, Vatican and Saudi Arabia space leaders

 
Credits: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 Apr 2024

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Japan Astronauts to Join 2 Artemis Lunar Surface Missions, Perhaps Becoming First Non-Americans on Moon

Building on prior agreements under which a Japan Astronaut will join a Gateway mission in lunar orbit (JAXA is to provide life support and power for I-Hab module and deliver supplies via HTV-XG spacecraft), USA and Japan are increasing lunar cooperation to include 2 opportunities for JAXA crewmembers to join Artemis Moon landings; In exchange Japan is to provide pressurized lunar rover designed to accommodate 2 astronauts for MSP sojourns up to 30 days on Artemis mission 7 and beyond over 10 year nominal lifespan

Pictured: (Clockwise) USA President Joe Biden, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Japan Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Masahito Moriyama, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson
Credits: JAXA, NASA

Friday / 22 Dec 2023

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Artemis 2 Astronauts Train for Moon Flyby as VP Harris Announces International Astronaut to Join Landing Mission

While Artemis 2 NASA crewmembers Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen (CSA-ASC) undergo emergency preparedness exercises at JSC and build public excitement for the first human mission to the Moon in 51+ years with White House press event, Vice President Kamala Harris makes firm commitment to include an international astronaut on future Artemis 3+ surface mission at 20 Dec National Space Council meeting attended by representatives of the 33-nation Artemis Accords coalition; Europe, Japan, or India are likely nations from which as-yet-unannounced crewmember will originate

Credits: NASA

Friday / 12 Aug 2022

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NASA Mega Moon Rocket Inaugural Flight Approaches as Astronaut Corps Trains for Lunar Orbit NET 2024

Long-awaited USA flagship spacecraft Artemis 1, comprised of $US23B+ Boeing / Northrop Grumman developed Space Launch System (SLS) and $20B+ / 4-crew Lockheed Martin Orion capsule slated to roll out to LC-39B at KSC 18 Aug ahead of 29 Aug launch to Moon; 42-day mission includes 4-day outbound phase, 6-day retrograde orbit; 5-m diameter, 186-piece AVCOAT heatshield must withstand 2,760°C while travelling 11 km/s upon reentry, a record for human-rated craft; “Any one of our 42 active astronauts is eligible” for Artemis 2/3 human Moon Missions, per Astronaut Office Chief Reid Wiseman

Credits: NASA

Tuesday / 18 January 2022

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Artemis Era Will Require Larger & More Diverse Astronaut Corps, Training Updates, Lunar Architecture

NASA Office of Inspector General report warns of dearth of flight-ready Astronauts (44 in 2021 vs nearly 150 in 2000) and calls for new protocols on “minimum manifest requirement” corps size safety margin (15% currently vs 50% shuttle era), recruitment, training, assignment; OIG suggests information gathering on Astronaut skillsets and demographics to meet Artemis mission diversity objectives of First Woman and Person of Color landing on Moon during Artemis III Mission NET 2025; LSSW workshop on Inclusive Lunar Exploration 26-27 Jan; Artemis structural requirements to be topic at Moon Village Association Architectural Concepts & Considerations Working Group meeting 25-27 Jan

Credits: NASA, MVA

Tuesday / 4 January 2022

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Land of the Rising Moon:
Japan Plans Human Lunar Landing as Early as 2026, Two 2022 Robotic Landers

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announces hope for Japan to be 2nd nation (and 1st from Asia) to land Astronaut on Moon via Artemis missions 4-8 (2026-2029); Canada Astronaut to fly around Moon 2024 / Artemis 2, two USA selected to land 2025 / Artemis 3; JAXA Astronaut recruitment period open until 4 March; SLIM lander preparing for launch 2nd half 2022; ispace HAKUTO-R launch NET July with 2 rovers; Japan budgeting for Cislunar Gateway tech contributions, HTV-X cargo ships ~2026, human lunar surface rover ~2029

Credits: JAXA, ISAS, NASA, ispace

Wednesday 5 June 2019

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Advancing Women Lunarnauts:
NEEMO-23 Hosts All Female Crew, ILOA & MVA Open 1st Women On The Moon Essay Contest 2019

NEEMO-23 (TR) In Aquarius Underwater Lab Off Florida Coast Occurs 10-19 June With Commander Samantha Cristoforetti, Astronaut Candidate Jessica Watkins, Shirley Pomponi & Csilla D’Agostino; First Woman In Space, Valentina Tereshkova, Being Honored 16 June – Alongside Sally Ride (1st Woman From USA 18 June) And Liu Yang (1st Woman From China 16 June); Highlighting Significance Of Landing Women On Moon Surface, International Lunar Observatory Association, With Moon Village Association, Launch ‘2019 First Women On The Moon Essay Contest’ Week Of 17 June: Flying Grand Prize Winner To Galaxy Forum Hainan 2020: China 25-28 Feb At Hilton Wenchang

Credits: NASA, NOAA, ILOA, MVA, Roscosmos, CNSA, USF / Csilla Ari / National Geographic Open Explorer, Pat Rawlings

Friday / 25 Jan 2019

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Europe Funds Studies On Lunar Mining, Astronaut EVAs, Lunar Gravity Effects

ESA Signs 1-Year Lunar Regolith Feasibility Study Contract With Arianespace To Launch “Ariane 64” Vehicle With PTScientists Lunar Lander By 2025 To Search For Oxygen, Water, Helium-3 To Produce Fuel; Pangaea-X Test Campaign In Lanzarote Spain Advancing Lunar EVA Simulations, Communications, Tools, Science Protocols; ESA-DLR-NASA Collaborate On Moon 1/6th Gravity Study To Understand Physiological Impact Of Living, Working On Moon

Credits: ESA, PTScientists, Ariane Group

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 19-22 Oct 2018

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International Efforts Aiming For Village On Moon

European Space Agency, Major Advocate Of International Moon Village, Planning 1000 Square-Meter Luna Facility At ESA Astronaut Centre In Cologne, Germany; Regolith Simulant EAC-1 Will Be Used For Experiments To Construct Habitats;  China “Lunar Palace” Yuegong-1 Simulates Moonbase On 370-Day Mission; 500 Cubic-Meter Habitat Contains Integrated Living / Work Module And Two Plant Cultivation Modules; Experimental Crops Including Corn And Peanuts Grown In Closed Environment; International MoonBase Alliance Aims To Build Lunar Analog On Island Of Hawai’i

Credits: Beihang University, ESA