April 29, 2024
Retired Astronaut Joins Axiom Space
Axiom Space welcomed recently retired Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata as a newly appointed Astronaut and Chief Technical Officer for the Asia-Pacific region.
Wakata, a veteran astronaut with decades of human spaceflight experience, will lead the expansion of Axiom Space’s business and strategic presence in the Asia-Pacific region and contribute to the advancement of Axiom Station, the world’s first commercial space station. Wakata contributed to the construction of the International Space Station (ISS) and the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo.” He was the first astronaut to serve as JAXA’s ISS Program Manager and Vice President for Human Space Technology. He officially retired from JAXA on March 31, 2024, finishing out his career in the space agency as senior management for the ISS and lunar exploration programs.
—Please see https://www.axiomspace.com/news/koichi-wakata for more.