Real-time communication between astronaut Noguchi aboard the ISS and five children! How did astronaut Noguchi respond to the question, “What should we do to achieve our dreams and goals?”

Hello! I’m Macky Makita, and I’m about to enter my second year at SUNNY SIDE UP after joining as a new graduate.

This time, I would like to introduce the “6 months mission challenge Campaign: Real-time Communication Event with Astronaut Noguchi” from the public relations activities for JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi (hereinafter referred to as Astronaut Noguchi), which I am in charge of.

Astronaut Soichi Noguchi embarks on his third journey to space!

At 9:27 AM Japan time on November 16, 2020, the Crew Dragon carrying Noguchi and three American astronauts successfully launched, marking the beginning of Astronaut Noguchi’s third journey to space. Astronaut Noguchi is staying aboard the International Space Station, known as the ISS, for approximately six months. During his stay on the ISS, he is scheduled to undertake three major missions and conduct extravehicular activities outside the ISS.

Real-time communication between space and Earth across approximately 400 km!

This event was attended by a total of five participants who applied and were selected for the participatory Twitter campaign “6 months mission challenge Campaign,” which began on September 12, 2020, to support Astronaut Noguchi from Earth as he takes on various missions aboard the ISS. The participants included one elementary school student from Aichi Prefecture, one elementary school student from Tokyo, one high school student from Fukuoka Prefecture, one high school student from Miyazaki Prefecture, and one high school student from Yamanashi Prefecture, who applied with aspirations such as “taking the Astronomy Space Test Level 2” and “passing the junior high school entrance exam to become an astronaut.”

ⒸJAXA/NASA

※For details about the Twitter campaign, please visit the special website.
https://noguchi-mission.jaxa.jp/

Special collaboration with the popular manga “Space Brothers,” a must-read for space enthusiasts

The event featured content to deepen knowledge about JAXA‘s activities and space, as well as a limited collaboration project with the popular manga “Space Brothers,” which is familiar to Astronaut Noguchi! An exclusive quiz prepared specifically for this event was held, and ahead of its public release, the third installment of the 6 months mission challenge Campaign limited episode video series in collaboration with “Space Brothers,” titled “Nobuchi Edition,” was premiered.

【Nobuchi Edition URL】https://youtu.be/zimAxHM0NYM

ⒸJAXA Ⓒ Chuya Koyama/Kodansha

Astronaut Noguchi: “I am also a baby as a space human.”

During the real-time communication with Astronaut Noguchi, various questions were directed at him by the participants. In response to a question from a third-grade elementary school boy who loves baseball, “What should I keep in mind to achieve my dreams and goals?”, Astronaut Noguchi advised, “To grasp big dreams, it is important to move straight toward that dream over a long period of time.” Furthermore, in response to a question from the only female participant, a third-year high school student aspiring to become an astronaut, “What did you notice from a new perspective after actually going to space?”, he answered, “I believe it is important to think about how to solve problems from different perspectives when you encounter them. I think we can promote such cognitive changes. I have only been in space for about 250 days, so as a space human I am still a baby, but I would like to reflect on what it means to gradually move away from Earth and convey that to everyone.”

ⒸJAXA/NASA

All participants listened intently to the sincere and valuable responses from Astronaut Noguchi, who continues to challenge himself on his third journey to space. I myself was deeply moved by Astronaut Noguchi, who, despite accomplishing the great feat of embarking on his third journey to space, said he is “still a baby as a space human.” At the end of the real-time communication, he sent words of encouragement to all those who could not participate in this event: “If you value each day, accomplish what you can do that day, and achieve your goals one by one, I believe you will eventually reach a high place.”

When you look up at the sky at a casual moment, you see a vast number of stars. The moon, which gives us a ray of light no matter how late the night gets. In a place that seems like a distant, separate world when viewed from the ground, there are people who continue their activities at the risk of their lives. As I continue to assist with JAXA‘s public relations activities, I hope to convey these unseen aspects to everyone! And I want to work to make space feel more accessible!

I encourage everyone reading this blog to occasionally look away from your smartphone and look up at the sky. Space holds infinite possibilities.

【Astronaut Noguchi Official SNS】

・Twitter: @Astro_Soichi
・Instagram: astro.soichi
・YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/astrosoichi

About the Author

SUNNY SIDE UP Bureau 3, Department 3, Group 1
Haruka Makita

After graduating from Juntendo University, I joined SUNNY SIDE UP as a new graduate and have been here for one year. Although I am not good at standing out, I strive daily to create fun excitement around the world. On my days off, I continue playing soccer as a hobby with an adult team, and I also teach myself to play guitar, piano, and drums. I have a wide circle of friends, but I’m an introvert at heart.