Soichi Noguchi

Infobox Astronaut
name =Soichi Noguchi

---

type =NASDA/JAXA Astronaut
nationality =Japanese
date_birth =April 15, 1965
date_death =
place_birth =Yokohama, Japan
place_death =
occupation =Engineer
rank =
selection =1996 NASDA Group
time =13d 21h 32m
mission =STS-114
insignia =|

Soichi Noguchi (野口聡一 "Noguchi Sōichi", born 15 April 1965 in Yokohama, Japan) is a Japanese aeronautical engineer and a JAXA astronaut. His first spaceflight was as a Mission Specialist aboard STS-114 on 26 July, 2005 for NASA's first "return to flight" Space Shuttle mission after the "Columbia" disaster.

Personal life

Soichi Noguchi was a Boy Scout. [cite web | author=Amiko Nevills| url =http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/preparingtravel/soichi_noguchi_profile.html | title = STS-114 Mission Specialist Soichi Noguchi: Teaming up to Return to Flight, Scout's Honor| publisher =NASA | date =2005-03-31 | accessdate =2008-01-21 ] [cite web |url =http://sts-114.jaxa.jp/en/noguchi/briefing/051001.html| title =General Mission Debriefing by Astronaut Soichi Noguchi| date =2005-10-01| accessdate =2008-01-21] [cite web |url =http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/crew/intnoguchi.html| title =Preflight Interview: Soichi Noguchi|publisher =NASA | accessdate =2008-01-21] [cite journal| title =STS-114: Crew Interviews: Soichi Noguchi| journal = SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AEROSPACE REPORTS-A Biweekly Publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
volume = 43
issue = 19
publisher = NASA
date = 2006-09-23
url = http://aero-defense.ihs.com/news/2005/star-05FY/star-0923-astronautics-general.htm
accessdate =2008-01-21| format =dead link|date=July 2008 – ^{[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=intitle%3ASTS-114%3A+Crew+Interviews%3A+Soichi+Noguchi&as_publication=SCIENTIFIC+AND+TECHNICAL+AEROSPACE+REPORTS-A+Biweekly+Publication+of+the+National+Aeronautics+and+Space+Administration&as_ylo=&as_yhi=&btnG=Search Scholar search]} ] cite web |author= Amit Asaravala|url =http://www.wired.com/science/space/news/2005/07/68134|title= The Crew of Flight STS-114| date = 2005-07-08|publisher =http://www.wired.com| accessdate =2008-01-21]

He is married and has three children.

His hobbies are jogging, basketball, skiing, camping. [cite web|url =http://spacefacts.de/bios/international/english/noguchi_soichi.htm| title= Biographies of International Astronauts-Noguchi Soichi Japan
date = 2007-12-30|publisher =http://spacefacts.de| accessdate =2008-01-21]

Education

Noguchi graduated from Chigasaki-Hokuryo High School, in Chigasaki, in 1984, and then studied at the University of Tokyo, earning a bachelor's degree in 1989 and a master's degree in 1991, both in Aeronautical Engineering.

Experience

After graduation, Noguchi worked for Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, assigned to the research and development department of their Aero-Engine and Space Operations division. He worked on aerodynamic design of commercial engines.

Astronaut experience

Noguchi was selected as an astronaut candidate by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (now part of JAXA) in June 1996. In August 1996, he reported to NASA's Johnson Space Center for NASA astronaut training. Noguchi qualified as a mission specialist after two years, and received training on Russian space systems at Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in 1998. He was assigned to technical support for the Japanese Experiment Module of the International Space Station and then, in April 2001, to the crew of STS-114 as a Mission Specialist.

Noguchi is currently assigned to the back-up crew for Expedition 18. He is also currently scheduled to be a primary crew member of Expedition 20, if he does not fly with expedition 18.

Trivia

Noguchi was the recipient of an apology by the Australian comedy band, Tripod, who released a song on their album, "Middleborough Road", asking the question "Why aren't there any Japanese astronauts?". Upon realising Noguchi's existence, the band released a (humorous) statement of apology on their website.

References

External links

* [http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/noguchi.html Official NASA Bio]
* [http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/preparingtravel/soichi_noguchi_profile.html STS-114 Soichi Noguchi Crew Profile]
* [http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/international/english/noguchi_soichi.htm Spacefacts biography of Soichi Noguchi]
* [http://www.3pod.com.au/podhome/ Tripod Website]