Kimiya Yui

Kimiya Yui
JAXA Astronaut Candidate
Nationality Japanese
Status Active
Born 1970
Nagano, Japan
Rank Lieutenant Colonel, JASDF
Selection 2009 JAXA Group

Kimiya Yui (油井 亀美也 Yui Kimiya, born 30.01.1970 in Nagano) is a Japanese astronaut candidate from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. He was selected in 2009.[1]

Yui, from Nagano Prefecture, enrolled in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force after he graduated from the National Defense Academy of Japan in 1992. He has piloted a F-15 Eagle fighter, and currently works in the Air Staff Office's Defense Planning Division as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Once he is trained as an astronaut and will have the opportunity to fly to the International Space Station and engage in scientific experiments at the Japanese Experiment Module space laboratory, as well as in the maintenance and operations of the station.

On April 16, 2012, NASA announced that Yui would serve as an aquanaut aboard the Aquarius underwater laboratory during the NEEMO 16 undersea exploration mission, scheduled to begin on June 11, 2012 and last twelve days.[2] The NEEMO 16 crew successfully "splashed down" at 11:05 am on June 11.[3] On the morning of June 12, Yui and his crewmates officially became aquanauts, having spent over 24 hours underwater.[4] The crew safely returned to the surface on June 22.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Xinhua News Agency Staff Writers (February 26, 2009). "Two Japanese Picked As Candidates For Astronauts". Space.TV Corporation. Retrieved April 17, 2012.
  2. ↑ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (April 16, 2012). "NASA - NASA Announces 16th Undersea Exploration Mission Dates and Crew". NASA. Retrieved April 17, 2012.
  3. ↑ The NEEMO Mission Management and Topside Support Team (June 11, 2012). "NEEMO 16 Mission Day 1 - Status Report" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  4. ↑ The NEEMO Mission Management and Topside Support Team (June 12, 2012). "NEEMO 16 Mission Day 2 - Status Report" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  5. ↑ The NEEMO Mission Management and Topside Support Team (June 22, 2012). "NEEMO 16 Mission Day 12 - Status Report" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved July 11, 2012.

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