Takao Doi
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese 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.
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.
As an avid amateur astronomer, he found supernovae SN 2002gw and SN 2007aa.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
and a veteran of two NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
space shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
missions.
Doi holds a doctorate from the University of Tokyo
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
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
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
is a Japanese national research organization of astrophysics using rockets, astronomical satellites and interplanetary probes. It is a division of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency .- History :...
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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at NASA's Lewis Research Center and the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. Doi flew as a mission specialist aboard STS-87
STS-87
STS-87 was a Space Shuttle mission launched from KSC pad 39-B on 19 November 1997. It was the 88th flight of the Space Shuttle, and the 24th flight of Columbia...
in 1997, during which he became the first Japanese astronaut to conduct a spacewalk.
He received Ph. D in Astronomy from Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
in 2004.
Takao Doi visited the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
in March 2008 as a member of the STS-123
STS-123
-Mission parameters:* Mass:* Orbiter liftoff: * Orbiter landing: * Perigee: 336 kilometers * Apogee: 346 kilometers * Inclination: 51.6 degrees* Period: 91.6min-Mission payloads:...
crew. STS-123 delivered the first module of the Japanese laboratory, Kibō
Japanese Experiment Module
The Japanese Experiment Module , also known with the nickname , is a Japanese science module for the International Space Station developed by JAXA. It is the largest single ISS module. The first two pieces of the module were launched on space shuttle missions STS-123 and STS-124...
, and the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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.
Doi retired from the astronaut duty and he works as the chief of Space Applications Section of United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs is an organization of the General Assembly charged with implementing the Assembly's outer space-related policies. It is located in the United Nations Office in Vienna. The Office implements the Program on Space Applications and maintains the...
starting September 2009.
As an avid amateur astronomer, he found supernovae SN 2002gw and SN 2007aa.