23 Facts About Koichi Wakata

Koichi Wakata is a Japanese engineer and an astronaut working for Axiom Space.

Koichi Wakata logged over 500 days in space across five missions: three aboard the Space Shuttle, one on the Soyuz, and one on the Crew Dragon.

Koichi Wakata was born in Omiya, Saitama, Japan, earned 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 from Kyushu University.

Koichi Wakata worked as a structural engineer for Japan Airlines.

Koichi Wakata was selected by the National Space Development Agency of Japan as an astronaut candidate in 1992, and trained at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Koichi Wakata has held a number of assignments, and during STS-85, Koichi Wakata acted as NASDA Assistant Payload Operations Director for the Manipulator Flight Demonstration, a robotic arm experiment for the Japanese Experiment Module of the International Space Station.

Koichi Wakata first flew aboard STS-72 in 1996, and then returned to space on STS-92 in 2000.

Koichi Wakata launched to the International Space Station for a long-duration mission as part of Expeditions 18,19, and 20 on STS-119 on March 15,2009 and returned to the earth aboard Endeavour with the STS-127 crew four and a half months later on July 31,2009.

Koichi Wakata became the ISS commander for the last two months of that mission on Expedition 39.

Koichi Wakata became the first Japanese astronaut to work on the assembly of the International Space Station during STS-92.

In February 2007, Koichi Wakata was assigned as a flight engineer to ISS Expedition 18, scheduled to begin in winter of 2008.

Koichi Wakata launched with the crew of STS-119 and was the first resident station crew member from the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Koichi Wakata served as flight engineer 2 on Expedition 18, Expedition 19 and Expedition 20, before returning home as a mission specialist on STS-127.

Koichi Wakata was the first Japanese astronaut to take part in a long-duration mission on the station.

Koichi Wakata is the first person to serve on five different crews without returning to Earth: STS-119, Expedition 18, Expedition 19, Expedition 20 and STS-127.

Koichi Wakata returned to Earth in July 2009 aboard Endeavour with the STS-127 crew after being a flight engineer on the station.

Koichi Wakata launched on Soyuz TMA-11M to the International Space Station in November 2013.

Koichi Wakata arrived on the International Space Station as part of Expedition 38 in late 2013.

Koichi Wakata became the commander of the International Space Station with Expedition 39, in March 2014.

Koichi Wakata trained as backup for JAXA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-1 mission specialist Soichi Noguchi ahead of his long duration stay aboard of the ISS as part of Expedition 64.

In October 2021, Koichi Wakata was reassigned to the SpaceX Crew-5 flight.

Koichi Wakata is married to Stefanie von Sachsen-Altenburg of Bonn, Germany, and has a son.

Koichi Wakata is a multi-engine and instrument-rated pilot, and has logged over 2100 hours in a variety of aircraft.