Background
Wakata, Koichi was born on August 1, 1963 in Saitama, Japan. Son of Nobutaka and Takayo Wakata.
Wakata, Koichi was born on August 1, 1963 in Saitama, Japan. Son of Nobutaka and Takayo Wakata.
Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, Kyushu University, 1987. Master of Science in Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, 1989. Doctor in Aerospace Engineering, Kyushu University, 2004.
Structural engineer Japan Airlines, Narita, Japan, 1989—1991, with engineering department airframe group, systems engineering office, 1991—1992. Astronaut National Space Development Agency Japan, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Johnson Space Center, Houston, since 1992, payload science support staff Astronaut Office Mission Development Branch, 1993—1995, with Space Shuttle flight software verification testing, Shuttle Avionics Integration Lab (SAIL), 1994, with Space Shuttle and Space Station Robotics, Astronaut Office Robotics Branch Houston, 1996—2006, with Extravehicular Activities (EVA) development, Astronaut Office EVA Branch, 2001—2006, mission specialist STS-72 Endeavor (first Japanese mission specialist) Houston, 1996, assistant payload operations director for manipulator flight demonstration (STS-85 mission), 1997, member STS-92 Discovery flight (first Japanese to work on the International Space Station assembly), 2000. National Aeronautics and Space Administration robotics instructor astronaut, since 2000.
Commander National Aeronautics and Space Administration Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) mission, 2006. Crew member, mission specialist STS-119 and become the first resident station crew member from Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), 2009. Flight engineer to International Space Station Expedition 18, 2007.
Crew member STS-127 Mission (Endeavour), 2009. National Aeronautics and Space Administration robotics instructor astronaut, since 2000. Flight engineering training for Russian Soyuz spacecraft, 2006.
Flight engineer to International Space Station Expedition 18, 07.
Member of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Japanese Society Biological Sciences in Space (Distinguished Service award 2001), Robotics Society Japan, Japan Society Aeronautical and Space Sciences.
Married Stefanie von Sachsen-Altenburg.