JAXA Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki: Asteroid Explorer Hayabusa
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Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency August 2010 No. 02 Special Features JAXA Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki: 15-day mission to the International Space Station realizes a long-held dream Asteroid Explorer Hayabusa: Completing a seven-year return space voyage powered by ion engines Contents Interview with Astronaut No. 02 Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 1−5 JAXA Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki realizes a long-held dream by Welcome to JAXA TODAY Naoko completing a successful 15-day mission in space The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) works to realize its Yamazaki vision of contributing to a safe and prosperous society through the Midori Nishiura, advisor to JAXA on public affairs, spoke with pursuit of research and development in the aerospace fi eld to deepen Yamazaki about her mission humankind’s understanding of the universe. JAXA’s activities cover a on the International Space broad spectrum of the space and aeronautical fi elds, including satellite Station and her thoughts on development and operation, astronomical observation, planetary space development. exploration, participation in the International Space Station (ISS) 6 project, and the development of new rockets and next-generation Interviewed by Akatsuki: On a mission to aeronautical technology. Midori Nishiura, continuously map Venusian With the aim of disseminating information about JAXA’s activities meteorology in high-resolution 3-D and recent news relating to Japan’s space development programs to Advisor, JAXA Public Affairs as wide an audience as possible, we launched JAXA TODAY in January Akatsuki will help to reveal the 2010. In this, the second issue, we introduce a wide range of topical true face of Venus. articles, including an interview with JAXA Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, who recently returned from a mission to the ISS, and a report on the Hayabusa (MUSES-C) mission, which overcame a succession of prob- 7–9 lems to achieve a successful return to Earth. We hope you will fi nd all of IKAROS: A space yacht harness- the content of interest. ing the power of the sun Groundbreaking technology A Miuta (Waka) Poem by enables deep-space exploration without the use of propellant fuel. Her Majesty the Empress 宇宙飛行士帰還 At a press conference after his return on The STS-131 Mission Patch July 31, 2009, from a four-month mission on 10–16 the ISS, JAXA Astronaut Koichi Wakata said まづその夏草の草の Asteroid explorer Hayabusa that it was when the hatch opened and he JAXA Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki realizes a long-held dream completes its return mission using could smell the grass that he felt he had been ion engines welcomed back to earth. Moved by those words, Her Majesty composed this poem. by completing a successful 15-day mission in Space. Here What were the secrets behind the 茂れる星に project team’s success in bring- she speaks with Midori Nishiura, advisor to JAXA’s Public ing the Hayabusa capsule back to Earth? Affairs Department. 17 香を云ひし人 Tokyo hosts International Space JAXA Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki served as load master aboard Space Shuttle Station (ISS) heads of agency Discovery mission STS-131. The primary purpose of STS-131 was to continue (HOA) meeting 還り来て the assembly of the International Space Station (ISS) and bring a payload of sup- The astronaut’s return plies and equipment to the ISS. As load master, Mission Specialist Yamazaki was The ISS project fosters a strong partnership among On your return to responsible for managing operations to transfer materials between the Discov- participating countries. ery and the ISS. After completing her two-week mission, Yamazaki and Midori Our planet, lush with summer grass Nishiura—advisor to JAXA on public affairs—spoke at length about Yamazaki’s 18–19 First, you astronaut, activities in space, her training and her thoughts on future space development. JAXA promotes the use of space You spoke of “the scent of grass” by countries in Asia and the Flight Day 1 Flight Day 2 Pacifi c: Space Cooperation Offi ce Pouring into the shuttle. for the Asia-Pacifi c Region On Board the Space Shuttle Expanding the use of space across a wide array of fi elds, from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and disaster Source: The Imperial Household Agency monitoring to education. 15 Days Cover Story 20–21 Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off at 6:21 Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki used the JAXA Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki was a member of the crew of mission STS-131, The personal logo of JAXA a.m. EDT (7:21 p.m. JST), April 5, 2010. Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) as JAXA’s frontier which fl ew to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Space Shuttle Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki an extension to the Discovery’s robotic A roundup of JAXA’s recent Discovery, carrying a payload of supplies and equipment as part of the ISS arm—the Shuttle Remote Manipula- activities assembly program. The cover photograph was taken on April 10, 2010, the sixth for mission STS-131 tor System (SRMS)—to check for any day of the mission, and captures Yamazaki at work inside the Leonardo Multi- damage to the spacecraft’s body. This Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), which was transported to the ISS by mission inspection was an important operation to ensure that there were no problems STS-131 and connected to the station’s Harmony node. with the shuttle’s Thermal Protection All Flight Day photographs System (TPS) during re-entry into the ©NASA Earth’s atmosphere. 1 JAXA TODAY No. 02 Interview with Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki but I must say that going to Space awareness and appreciation of case. Thanks to these preparations, a part of this historic event for and back is something most of us the things we take for granted on when I was actually on my mission Japan. Of course, exchanging the could hardly imagine. Earth normally. One of the biggest performing my role, I’d often think, Japanese morning greeting of differences, of course, is the lack of “Oh, we did this in training!” For “ohayo” wouldn’t have been possible Yamazaki: Actually, space isn’t gravity in Space. Did your body and example, it was my job to use the if Astronaut Noguchi hadn’t been really that far away. On board the movements feel heavy once you space station’s robotic arm to lift the aboard! Actually, there were a lot of Space Shuttle, the time from liftoff were back on the ground? Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics tasks that Astronaut Noguchi and I to arrival in space is just eight and Module (MPLM)—developed by the performed as a team. We carried the a half minutes. That’s just a fraction Yamazaki: Yes, my head in Italian Space Agency (ASI)—out of Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory of the time it takes for a commercial particular. My body became the shuttle’s cargo bay and connect Freezer for ISS (MELFI) from airliner to fl y from Tokyo to New York. accustomed to the microgravity it to the Harmony node of the ISS. Leonardo to the Japanese Experiment environment aboard the ISS. The thing is, the Leonardo MPLM Module (JEM) Kibo. The MELFI Nishiura: Wow, eight and a half The Earth’s normal gravity made is big and weighs about 12 tons! Of weighs 500 kilograms, so even in minutes, that’s incredibly quick. my head feel like it weighed 100 course, there’s no way we could have the microgravity environment where But, however quick you get there, kilograms. I realized that I had to something that heavy banging into everything’s weightless, it’s important the environment must be quite cope with gravity again, whether the Space Shuttle or the ISS, so we to have a well-honed technique. different from the Earth. When I liked it or not. had to lift it very slowly and carefully. you returned to Earth, and landed The actual operation went smoothly Nishiura: Absolutely! Bravo to both of on the ground, the tremendous Two Japanese astronauts and fi nished ahead of schedule. I’m you for working in perfect harmony. difference must have hit you. work side-by-side to proud to say that all our training on the ground beforehand paid Yamazaki: Thank you. Astronaut Yamazaki: Yes, after our reentry carry out their mission off [laughs]. Noguchi and I took up separate and landing, when I stood on the on the ISS positions at the front and rear of ground, I was fi lled with emotion Nishiura: When you left for your the MELFI to carry it, but since the Naoko Yamazaki, JAXA Astronaut about how great it was to be back on Nishiura: I understand that your mission in the ISS, JAXA Astronaut unit’s so large we couldn’t see each Midori Nishiura, Advisor, JAXA Public Affairs Photo by Hiro Arakawa main role during the mission was as Soichi Noguchi was already aboard Photo by Hiro Arakawa load master managing the transfer the ISS on a long-duration mission. The relaxing sensation of the wind on my of supplies and equipment between I’m sure his presence must have the Space Shuttle and the ISS been a huge comfort and great help Even from this perspective alone, one can “face made me feel so grateful for nature operating the Leonardo. Having to you. “see that Space development is critical for undergone the extensive pre- —Naoko Yamazaki mission training for this role, were Yamazaki: Yes, it was the fi rst the survival of humankind you able to take on the task without occasion for two Japanese astronauts ” —Midori Nishiura Earth again. I felt Earth’s nature all Differences between life in any qualms? to be aboard the ISS at the same around me.