US To Help Put First Japanese Astronaut on the Moon

U.S. JOINS Japan In New “Mission” – It’s Not On Earth

(DailyDig.com) – The United States and Japan weren’t always such close allies; the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor and the US military dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki took some time to heal. Since then, the two countries have grown close. Proof of such a relationship shows in the fact that the US government is willing to help Japan put an astronaut on the moon for the first time.

Japan and the United States said they want to put the first Japanese astronaut on the moon, as the allies deepen cooperation on space projects. https://t.co/zPXNj0Ijh0

— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 23, 2022

Not only would this be the first Japanese astronaut on the moon, but CBS reported it would also be the first non-US citizen to step foot on lunar soil. The news agency mentioned Japan’s ambitions to have an astronaut on the moon by the end of 2030. President Biden asserted he looks forward to working with Japan through the Artemis program.

According to CBS, Japan’s space program has focused on building probes and satellites while relying on Russia and the United States to travel to the International Space Station. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) started recruiting new astronauts after dropping the requirement that candidates have science degrees. It’s the first time in over 13 years that JAXA has started enlisting new astronauts. The agency is also encouraging women to apply. Currently, there are only seven active Japanese astronauts, and they’re all men.

The Artemis Program is a NASA mission to put men on the moon once again and hopefully one day Mars. The US and Japan are also looking to create the Gateway Facility to orbit the moon and make future missions easier to accomplish.