News Japan's lunar program gets a boost: two astronauts added

[thomas]

Japan's newest astronauts, Ayu Yoneda and Makoto Suwa, expressed their excitement on Wednesday about the possibility of becoming the first Japanese to walk on the Moon. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) officially certified the two after being selected for the U.S.-led Artemis program. Yoneda, 29, said, "Space exploration is entering a new era, with missions to the Moon and Mars. I want to inspire others with the wonders of space." Suwa, 47, added, "The space industry is rapidly evolving. I'm eager to be part of this exciting time."

Photo credit: Kyodo​

Yoneda, who served as a surgeon at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, became the youngest astronaut to be approved by the agency, while Suwa, a former disaster prevention specialist at the World Bank, became the eldest astronaut at the time of certification. With the two seen as potential candidates to participate in NASA's lunar exploration program known as Artemis, Yoneda said, "I don't know who will be picked, but I am thinking about what is necessary as a team." As part of the Artemis program, the United States aims to return humans to the Moon in 2026, more than half a century since the last Apollo mission by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It also includes sending the first woman and person of colour to the Moon. The United States has agreed to allocate two astronaut flight opportunities to the lunar surface for Japan on future Artemis missions. JAXA now has seven astronauts who could be picked for the slots.

Japan's 2 new astronauts show excitement, with Moon possibly in sight

Japan's two newly approved astronauts expressed excitement on Wednesday about their upcoming space journey, amid expectations that they could be selected as the first Japanese astronauts to land on the Moon under the U.S.-led lunar exploration program.

english.kyodonews.net

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