(ORDO NEWS) — The Japanese space agency JAXA named its new astronaut candidates for the first time in more than 13 years. The surgeon and climatologist were selected from over 4,000 applicants.
Ayu Yoneda, 28, a surgeon at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Tokyo, will be the third Japanese woman ever to participate in a space training program. All six of Japan‘s current astronauts are men.
She will be joined by Makoto Suwa, 46, a senior disaster risk management specialist at the World Bank. His first application, over 10 years ago, was rejected.
Yoneda and Suwa, selected from 4,127 applicants, will now begin a two-year training program and, if successful, could join flights to the International Space Station and become the first Japanese astronauts to reach the moon.
Japan and the United States announced last year that they would work together to develop a plan to land a Japanese astronaut on the Moon by the end of the decade.
Suva is an ancient climate expert who hopes to learn more about how the Martian climate evolved.
“Learning about the Moon, learning about Mars, we learn not only about these celestial bodies themselves, but also about our planet,” he said.
Yoneda hopes to study how space travel affects human health.
“We will see an era where many people will go into space. The duration and distance of these trips will be increased,” she said. “As a doctor, I believe I can contribute to the study of what happens to human bodies in space.”
In 2021, JAXA removed the requirement for astronaut candidates to hold advanced science or engineering degrees. Recent bidders have included sales agents and consultants.
JAXA president Hiroshi Yamakawa said he hopes to have another round of recruitment in about five years.
“The responsibilities of astronauts will not just change, but will expand,” Yamakawa said. “It is important that we continue our policy of accepting applications from a wide variety of people.”
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