Astronaut and former World Bank official Makoto Suwa has been assigned to a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station around 2027, Japan’s space agency announced Friday.
“I feel deeply honored and truly happy to have been given the opportunity to make even a small contribution as part of this outstanding program,” Suwa told reporters Friday at a news conference organized by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
“I believe a relay baton has been passed steadily from one (Japanese) astronaut to the next,” he added. “I want to receive that baton firmly and hand it on properly when the time comes for the next mission.”