Joe Biden wants a Japanese astronaut to walk on the Moon

President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reaffirmed their commitment to sending a Japanese astronaut to the planned lunar space station, as well as the potential of a Japanese astronaut walking on the Moon on future Artemis missions.

On Monday, Biden and Kishida met in Tokyo to resume negotiations over an Implementing Agreement that might result in a Japanese astronaut being sent to the Gateway space station.

The leaders also reiterated their commitment to sharing climate change data. The debate about Gateway personnel is part of continuing discussions between the US and Japan over NASA’s forthcoming lunar missions.

Gateway is part of NASA’s wider endeavour to return to the Moon, the Artemis programme, which includes a succession of planned missions. Gateway will operate as a Moon-orbiting station that will provide assistance to lunar-bound astronauts.

In addition to providing key infrastructure for the Artemis missions, the lunar space station will also act as a staging platform for future crewed trips to Mars. The first components of the planned lunar base are expected to launch in November 2024.

According to the President Biden in a NASA press release, “In recent years, the alliance between Japan and the United States has grown stronger, deeper, and more capable as we work together to take on new challenges—just as important as the opportunities—of a rapidly changing world.”

According to a White House fact sheet, Japan and the US are also interested in putting a Japanese astronaut on the Moon’s surface during a yet-to-be-determined Artemis mission. Artemis will be the first crewed Moon trip since Apollo 17 in 1972, with NASA aiming to put men on the lunar south pole by 2025.

In a statement, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, “Our shared ambition to see Japanese and American astronauts walk on the Moon together reflects our nations’ shared values to explore space responsibly and transparently for the benefit of humanity here on Earth.”

While the initial elements of Gateway are still a few years away from being deployed, the collaboration between the US and Japan provides a chance for more countries to participate. The Artemis missions will be a collaborative endeavour throughout the world, and returning to the Moon is a thrilling next step in space exploration and engineering.

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