3 days ago
Japanese astronaut Yui meets reporters ahead of his ISS mission
Japanese astronaut Yui Kimiya, who will begin his second long-term stay at the International Space Station as early as July, says he wants his mission to give courage and hope to the Japanese people.
Yui made the remark when he spoke to reporters in Tokyo on Wednesday. He conducted his first long-term mission at the ISS in 2015.
He will head for the ISS aboard US private sector spacecraft Crew Dragon.
Japanese astronaut Onishi Takuya, who has been staying at the ISS since March, is scheduled to hand over duties to Yui.
The two joined the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency at the same time. Referring to this, Yui said he and Onishi are extremely close friends. He added he looks forward to the rare opportunity of meeting a friend in outer space.
Japan's new cargo transfer spacecraft HTV-X may dock at the ISS for the first time while Yui is staying there. He said he aims to catch the spacecraft swiftly and gently with a robotic arm upon its arrival.
Yui said he hopes to come up with worthy results to fulfill global-scale expectations.
Yui is scheduled to undergo final training for his mission in the United States.
