Astronaut Hoshide To Conduct 8 Missions On Iss
The Japanese space agency JAXA has revealed eight scientific missions for its astronaut Hoshide Akihiko to conduct during his six-month stay on the International Space Station.
Hoshide, together with two NASA astronauts and another from the European Space Agency, will be heading for the ISS on April 22, aboard the Crew Dragon capsule. It is the second crew launch to the ISS for the US private firm SpaceX. The launch will take place at a NASA facility in Florida.
On Thursday, JAXA disclosed the eight missions that Hoshide will carry out using the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo on the ISS.
They include an experiment on how a living organism senses gravity. Living cells will be used for the test. Another mission is a performance test of a new device designed to create drinking water from wastewater.
Hoshide's missions will also include releasing into space a small satellite developed by the Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius.
Hoshide is due to serve as the commander of the ISS during his six-month stay on the space station.
He will be greeted by another Japanese astronaut, Noguchi Soichi, who has been staying on the ISS on a six-month mission since last November. Noguchi is scheduled to return to Earth in late April or early May.