Astronaut candidates Ayu Yoneda and Makoto Suwa have been officially certified as Japan’s youngest and oldest astronauts, respectively, at the time of certification.
On October 22, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAEA) made the announcement that Yoneda, who is 29 years old, and Suwa, who is 47 years old, had finished their training, and are set to explore the world.
Yoneda, the young astronaut, claims that she wants to inspire children.
“I want to become an astronaut who can inspire children with how fascinating space is”.
Suwa on the other hand, said:
“I feel relieved. I want to contribute to the developments in space, which is in a period of transition.”
During the announcement, Norishige Kanai, the head of the astronauts group at JAXA, said,
“I’m truly pleased that the two were certified as astronauts, as I have witnessed their efforts while being close to them during their basic training. Let’s pave the way for human space exploration of the new era together.”
In 2023, when JAXA openly recruited astronauts for the first time since 2009, the two overcame significant odds.
During the open call for candidates, the agency received a record 4,127 applications, but Yoneda and Suwa, who have unlimited potential, were ultimately selected.
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The total number of JAXA astronauts now stands at 13, thanks to the addition of the two. Six of the 13 have retired, while seven of the 13 are currently working.
While they wait to be sent on space missions, the two will continue their training.
If they are assigned to NASA’s Artemis program, a manned lunar probe mission, they might become the first Japanese people to land on the moon.
Yoneda used to be a surgeon at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, and Suwa was a senior disaster risk management specialist at the World Bank.
