- Takao Doi
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Takao Doi NASDA/JAXA Astronaut Nationality Japanese Status Active Born September 18, 1954
Tokyo, JapanOther occupation Engineer Time in space 31d 19h 35m Selection 1985 NASDA Group Missions STS-87, STS-123 Mission insignia Takao Doi (土井 隆雄 Doi Takao , born September 18, 1954) is a Japanese astronaut and a veteran of two NASA space shuttle missions.
Doi holds a doctorate from the University of Tokyo in aerospace engineering, and has studied and published in the fields of propulsion systems, and microgravity technology. He researched at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science and was selected by NASDA as an astronaut candidate in 1985 for the Japanese manned space program while also conducting research in the United States at NASA's Lewis Research Center and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Doi flew as a mission specialist aboard STS-87 in 1997, during which he became the first Japanese astronaut to conduct a spacewalk.
He received Ph. D in Astronomy from Rice University in 2004.
Takao Doi visited the International Space Station in March 2008 as a member of the STS-123 crew. STS-123 delivered the first module of the Japanese laboratory, Kibō, and the Canadian Dextre robot to the space station. During this mission, he became the first person to throw a boomerang in space that was specifically designed for use in microgravity during spaceflight[1].
Doi retired from the astronaut duty and he works as the chief of Space Applications Section of United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs starting September 2009.[2]
As an avid amateur astronomer, he found supernovae SN 2002gw and SN 2007aa.[3][4]
Notes
- ^ "Boomerangs in Space". http://www.flight-toys.com/boomerang/boomnews/spacebooms.html. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
- ^ "Veteran Japanese astronaut Takao Doi to take up UN job". The Mainichi Daily News. June 6, 2009. http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/20090606p2a00m0na014000c.html. Retrieved June 7, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ "IAUC 7995". 2002-10-17. http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iauc/07900/07995.html. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- ^ "Supernova 2007aa in NGC 4030". http://www.supernovae.net/sn2007/sn2007aa.html. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
External links
NASA Astronaut Group 15, "The Flying Escargot", 1994 Pilots and Commanders Scott Altman • Jeffrey Ashby • Michael Bloomfield • Joe Edwards • Dominic Pudwill Gorie • Rick Husband • Steven Lindsey • Pamela Melroy • Susan Still-Kilrain • Frederick SturckowMission Specialists Michael Anderson • Kalpana Chawla • Robert Curbeam • Kathryn Hire • Janet Kavandi • Edward Tsang Lu • Carlos Noriega • James Reilly • Stephen RobinsonInternational Mission Specialists Jean-Loup Chrétien (France) • Takao Doi (Japan) • Michel Tognini (France) • Dafydd Williams (Canada)NASA Astronaut Groups · NASA Astronaut Corps Categories:- Japanese astronauts
- Japanese engineers
- University of Tokyo alumni
- University of Colorado alumni
- 1954 births
- Living people
- Rice University alumni
- Japanese people stubs
- Astronaut stubs
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