
Koichi Wakata, right, greets astronauts on the International Space Station at about 7:50 a.m. JST on Friday in this screen grab from NASA TV footage.
15:12 JST, October 7, 2022
WASHINGTON — A SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station at about 5 p.m. on Thursday (0600 JST Friday), carrying four crew members including Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
Wakata, 59, and his crewmates from the United States and Russia will stay on the ISS for about six months, conducting experiments and other tasks in preparation for a planned moon mission.
After the completion of air pressure adjustments and other necessary steps, the hatch of the Crew Dragon opened and the arrivals alighted from the spacecraft to a warm welcome from the astronauts aboard the ISS.
“It’s great to be back in zero G. This is like coming back to a home away from home for me,” Wakata said at the welcome ceremony. “I’d like to thank everyone who supports the International Space Station program.”
The SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket topped with the Crew Dragon capsule lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday at noon (2300 JST).
"Science & Nature" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Indonesian Woman Turns to Mangroves to Fend off Rising Tides
-
Bite Marks Reveal Gladiator’s Fatal Encounter with Lion in Roman Britain
-
Japan Unveils Urashima 8000 Underwater Drone Capable of Diving 8,000 Meters Under the Sea
-
VR Footage Reproducing Tower of the Sun As Seen at Osaka Expo ’70 on Display at Kawasaki Museum
-
Japanese Firms Develop AI-Assisted Device to Determine Fat Content of Frozen Albacore Tuna
JN ACCESS RANKING
-
Core Inflation in Japan’s Capital Sharply Accelerates in April
-
U.S. Holds Fire Over Yen Exchange Rate Targets; Bessent Said to Understand Negative Impact on Markets
-
Japanese Govt Mulls Raising Number of Cars to be Imported Under Simplified Screen System in U.S. Tariff Negotiations
-
Rice Prices Rise for 15th Straight Week, with Releases of Stockpiled Rice Slow to Circulate
-
Japan Must Take Lead in Maintaining Free Trade System, Says Chairman of Japan Trade Group