Q375566

Koichi Wakata is a Japanese engineer and an astronaut working for Axiom Space. Wakata retired from JAXA in 2024 after a career in spaceflight spanning nearly two decades. He logged over 500 days in space across five missions: three aboard the Space Shuttle, one on the Soyuz, and one on the Crew Dragon. His missions included three long-duration stays on the International Space Station (ISS) and two short-duration flights—one to the ISS and one aboard the Space Shuttle. Notably, during Expedition 39, he became the first Japanese commander of the ISS.

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1963  Wikimedia, Wikidata
astronaut, engineer, aircraft pilot, NASA Space Flight Medal, Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration", Kikuchi Kan Prize, NASA Astronaut Group 14, Japan, 

NASA Astronaut Group 14, 

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

• 

  STS-72 ⓘ
  human spaceflight

• 

  STS-92 ⓘ
  human spaceflight

• 

  Expedition 18 ⓘ
  expedition to the International Space Station

• 

  STS-119 ⓘ
  human spaceflight

• 

  Expedition 19 ⓘ
  expedition to the International Space Station

• 

  Expedition 20 ⓘ
  expedition to the International Space Station

• 

  STS-127 ⓘ
  NASA Space Shuttle mission

• 

  Soyuz TMA-11M ⓘ
  space flight

• 

  Expedition 38 ⓘ
  38th expedition to the International Space Station

• 

  Expedition 39 ⓘ
  39th expedition to the International Space Station

• 

  Expedition 68 ⓘ
  68th long-duration stay on the International Space Station

• 

  SpaceX Crew-5 ⓘ
  NASA Commercial Crew Program mission to the International Space Station

Japan, Soyuz TMA-11M, NASA Astronaut Group 14, Expedition 38, SpaceX Crew-5, STS-127, 

1963-08-01T00:00:00Z

1963-08-01T00:00:00Z

1963 Koichi Wakata

1996-01-11T00:00:00Z

1996-01-11T00:00:00Z

1996 STS-72

2000-10-11T00:00:00Z

2000-10-11T00:00:00Z

2000 STS-92

2008-10-12T00:00:00Z

2009-04-08T00:00:00Z

2008 — 2009 Expedition 18

2009-03-15T00:00:00Z

2009-03-15T00:00:00Z

2009 STS-119

2009-03-28T00:00:00Z

2009-05-29T00:00:00Z

2009 Expedition 19

2009-05-29T00:00:00Z

2009-10-11T00:00:00Z

2009 Expedition 20

2009-07-15T00:00:00Z

2009-07-15T00:00:00Z

2009 STS-127

2013-11-07T00:00:00Z

2013-11-07T00:00:00Z

2013 Soyuz TMA-11M

2013-11-10T00:00:00Z

2014-03-10T00:00:00Z

2013 — 2014 Expedition 38

2014-03-10T00:00:00Z

2014-05-13T00:00:00Z

2014 Expedition 39

2022-09-29T00:00:00Z

2023-03-28T00:00:00Z

2022 — 2023 Expedition 68

2022-10-05T00:00:00Z

2022-10-05T00:00:00Z

2022 SpaceX Crew-5

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Frameless

Astronaut Koichi Wakata gives a thumbs up after being helped out of the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft onboard the SpaceX recovery ship Shannon shortly after he landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tampa, Florida.

Nicole Mann speaks to members of the media after arriving at the Launch and Landing Facility with the SpaceX Crew-5 crew.

Koichi Wakata, left, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, are seen on the fixed service structure of Launch Complex 39A before boarding SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.

Bill Nelson and Pam Melroy wave at the SpaceX Crew-5 crew as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A.

Koichi Wakata is seen inside an elevator onboard the SpaceX recovery ship Shannon shortly after he landed while onboard the SpaceX Dragon Endoevour spacecraft in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tampa, Florida, Saturday, March 11, 2023.

Japanese Prime Minister Noda with NASA Administrator Bolden (201204300002HQ)

The crew of the SpaceX Crew-5 mission before the launch.

Expedition 38 crew members pose for an in-flight crew portrait - NASA ISS038-E-054970

Bill Nelson looks on the SpaceX Crew-5 crew as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A.

The crew of the SpaceX Crew-5 mission before the launch.

Type	Subtype	Date	Description	Notes	Source
event	spaceflight	1996	STS-72	human spaceflight	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2000	STS-92	human spaceflight	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2008	Expedition 18	expedition to the International Space Station	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2009	STS-119	human spaceflight	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2009	Expedition 19	expedition to the International Space Station	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2009	Expedition 20	expedition to the International Space Station	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2009	STS-127	human spaceflight	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2013	Soyuz TMA-11M	human spaceflight, Soyuz TMA-M	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2013	Expedition 38	expedition to the International Space Station	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2014	Expedition 39	expedition to the International Space Station	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2022	Expedition 68	expedition to the International Space Station	Wikidata
event	spaceflight	2022	SpaceX Crew-5	human spaceflight	Wikidata
commons	image		Astronaut Koichi Wakata gives a thumbs up after being helped out of the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft onboard the SpaceX recovery ship Shannon shortly after he landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tampa, Florida.		Commons
commons	image		Nicole Mann speaks to members of the media after arriving at the Launch and Landing Facility with the SpaceX Crew-5 crew.		Commons
commons	image		Koichi Wakata, left, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, are seen on the fixed service structure of Launch Complex 39A before boarding SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.		Commons
commons	image		Bill Nelson and Pam Melroy wave at the SpaceX Crew-5 crew as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A.		Commons
commons	image		Koichi Wakata is seen inside an elevator onboard the SpaceX recovery ship Shannon shortly after he landed while onboard the SpaceX Dragon Endoevour spacecraft in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tampa, Florida, Saturday, March 11, 2023.		Commons
commons	image		Japanese Prime Minister Noda with NASA Administrator Bolden (201204300002HQ)		Commons
commons	image		The crew of the SpaceX Crew-5 mission before the launch.		Commons
commons	image		Expedition 38 crew members pose for an in-flight crew portrait - NASA ISS038-E-054970		Commons
commons	image		Bill Nelson looks on the SpaceX Crew-5 crew as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A.		Commons
commons	image		The crew of the SpaceX Crew-5 mission before the launch.		Commons