Akihiko Hoshide

Akihiko Hoshide (August 28, 1968) is a Japanese astronaut and engineer who is associated with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). He has participated in several missions to the International Space Station (ISS), contributing significantly to space exploration and research.

Early Life and Education

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Hoshide showed an early interest in space science. He pursued his undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at Keio University, graduating in 1992. He later obtained his Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Houston in the United States.

Career

Hoshide joined the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA, now JAXA) in 1992. He worked on the development of the H-II and H-IIA launch vehicles. In 1999, he was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASDA.

Space Missions

Hoshide's first space mission was the STS-124 on Space Shuttle Discovery in 2008, where he was a mission specialist. During this mission, he participated in the installation of the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module on the ISS.

In 2012, he flew on the Soyuz TMA-05M mission to the ISS, serving as a flight engineer for Expedition 32 and Expedition 33.

In 2021, Hoshide commanded the SpaceX Crew-2 mission, becoming the second Japanese astronaut to command an ISS expedition.

Awards and Honors

Hoshide has received several awards for his contributions to space exploration, including the NASA Space Flight Medal and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.

Personal Life

Hoshide is married and has two children. He enjoys baseball, carpentry, and listening to music.

See Also

• List of astronauts by year of selection
• List of International Space Station expeditions
• SpaceX Crew-2