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WASHINGTON – NASA chief Jim Bridenstine on Friday praised the contributions Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi can make as a member of an upcoming mission that will take him and three others to the International Space Station aboard a US commercial spacecraft.
“He is not just a Japanese hero. He is an American hero. … I look forward to all the amazing things that Soichi Noguchi is going to do on the International Space Station, ”Bridenstine said at a press conference at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the planned launch of the Crew Dragon spacecraft developed by the US aerospace industry. US manufacturer SpaceX.
On Friday, NASA delayed the launch one day until Sunday night, citing weather conditions. NASA and SpaceX are now planning to launch the Crew Dragon space capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket for 7:27 p.m. Sunday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The capsule is expected to dock at the International Space Station around 11 p.m. Monday.
The schedule adjustment was made to ensure the weather is suitable for the Falcon 9’s first stage booster recovery after launch. The thruster will be reused to fly the astronauts on the next mission.
The four-member team, including spacecraft commander Michael Hopkins and mission specialist Noguchi, will stay on the ISS for about six months and conduct microgravity experiments.
According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Noguchi is expected to conduct studies with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), which can be converted into any type of cell in the body.
“Japan is an incredible partner and we are very, very grateful for the nation of Japan. … We look forward to a long and strong partnership with Japan as we continue, ”Bridenstine said.
He also said the astronauts have been in quarantine for weeks to prepare for the flight amid the coronavirus pandemic after concerns were raised about their possible exposure in the wake of news that Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, tested positive for COVID. -19.
Musk tweeted early Friday that he took four COVID-19 tests a day earlier, testing positive twice and negative twice.
“Something extremely false is happening,” he said. When asked by a Twitter user about his symptoms, he said he had those of a “typical cold.”
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