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KOICHI WAKATA (PH.D.)
ASTRONAUT, JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY (JAXA)
PERSONAL DATA: Born August 1, 1963, in Saitama, Japan. Married and has one child. Enjoys flying, hang-gliding, baseball, tennis, and snow skiing.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Urawa High School, Saitama, in 1982; received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1987; a master of science degree in applied mechanics in 1989; and a doctorate in aerospace engineering in 2004, all from Kyushu University.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Robotics Society of Japan, and the Japanese Society for Biological Sciences in Space.
SPECIAL HONORS: Minister of State for Science and Technology Commendation (1996). Special awards from Saitama Prefecture and Omiya City (1996). National Space Development Agency of Japan Outstanding Service Award (1996). Diplome pilote-cosmonaute de l' URSS V.M. Komarov (1997, 2001). NASA Exceptional Service Medal (2001). Japan Society for Biological Sciences in Space Distinguished Service Award (2001).
EXPERIENCE: Dr. Wakata joined Japan Airlines (JAL) in April 1989. He was assigned to the Base Maintenance Department, Narita, Chiba, where he was designated as a structural engineer. From July 1991 to May 1992, he was assigned to the Airframe Group, Systems Engineering Office, Engineering Department of JAL. During his tenure with JAL, Dr. Wakata was involved in multiple research and engineering projects in the fields of structural integrity of transport aircraft, fatigue fracture, corrosion prevention, and the environmental effects on fuselage polished aluminum skin on B-747 aircraft. He was selected as an astronaut candidate by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) in June 1992. A multi-engine and instrument rated pilot, Dr. Wakata has logged over 2000 hours in a variety of aircraft. He operated the robotic arm system on NASDA’s Engineering Test Satellite VII in the tele-operation robotics experiments in 1999.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Dr. Wakata reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1992. He completed one year of training and is qualified for assignment as a mission specialist on future Space Shuttle flight crews. Dr. Wakata's technical assignments to date include: payload science support for the Astronaut Office Mission Development Branch (April 1993 to February 1995); Space Shuttle flight software verification testing in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) (April to October 1994); Space Shuttle and Space Station Robotics for the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch (March 1996 to date); Extravehicular Activities (EVA) development for the Astronaut Office EVA Branch (May 2001 to date). He was the NASDA Assistant Payload Operations Director of the Manipulator Flight Demonstration, a robotic arm experiment for the Japanese Experiment Module of the International Space Station, on STS-85 (August 7-19, 1997). A veteran of two space missions, Dr. Wakata has logged a total of 21 days, 19 hours, 41 minutes, and 5 seconds in space.
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-72 Endeavour (January 11-20, 1996). Dr. Wakata flew as the first Japanese mission specialist on this 9-day mission during which the crew retrieved the Space Flyer Unit (launched from Japan 10 months earlier), deployed and retrieved the OAST-Flyer, and conducted two spacewalks to demonstrate and evaluate techniques to be used in the assembly of the International Space Station. The STS-72 mission was completed in 142 orbits, traveling 3.7 million miles in 8 days, 22 hours, and 40 seconds.
STS-92 Discovery (October 11-24, 2000) was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and returned to the Edwards Air Force Base, California. During the 13-day flight, the seven-member crew attached the Z1 Truss and Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 to the International Space Station (ISS) using Discovery’s robotic arm and performed four space walks to configure these elements. This expansion of the ISS opened the door for future assembly missions and prepared the station for its first resident crew. The STS-92 mission was accomplished in 202 orbits, traveling 5.3 million miles in 12 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes, and 25 seconds.
MARCH 2004
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