Japan astronaut Hoshide to head to ISS aboard SpaceX ship in spring

Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide will head to the International Space Station next spring aboard a spacecraft developed by U.S. aerospace manufacturer SpaceX and become the second Japanese to serve as a commander of the ISS, the Japanese space agency said Tuesday.Hoshide, 51, will make his third trip to the ISS aboard Space Exploration Technologies Corp.'s Crew Dragon spacecraft following his stays at the station in 2008 and 2012. He will follow in the footsteps of Koichi Wakata, 56, who served as the first Japanese ISS commander in 2014, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said.Related coverageREAD FULL ARTICLE