Fellow ISS crewmember Koichi Wakata had the honor of placing the convocation cape on Thirsk, which was later removed due to it constantly floating up to his face.

Wakata has held a number of assignments, and during STS-85, Wakata acted as NASDA Assistant Payload Operations Director for the Manipulator Flight Demonstration, a robotic arm experiment for the Japanese Experiment Module of the International Space Station ( ISS ).

Wakata was last stationed at the International Space Station ( ISS ) and returned to earth aboard Endeavour with the STS-127 crew on July 31, 2009.

Wakata served as flight engineer on STS-119, which launched to the ISS in March 2009.

Wakata beside the ISS ISS ECLSS # Water recovery systems | Water Processor Assembly during Expedition 19.

In February 2007, Wakata was assigned as a flight engineer to ISS Expedition 18, scheduled to begin in winter of 2008.

Wakata is the first person to serve on five different crews without returning to Earth: STS-119, Expedition 18, Expedition 19, Expedition 20 and STS-127.

Wakata returned to Earth in July 2009 aboard Endeavour with the STS-127 crew after being a flight engineer on the station.

Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata operated the orbiter's remote manipulator system arm on flight day three to pluck SFU from orbit.

On flight day four, Wakata again operated Endeavour's robot arm to deploy the Spartan, sending the experiment-laden platform on its way to a 50-hour free-flight at a distance of approximately 45 miles ( 72 kilometers ) from the orbiter.

OAST-Flyer was retrieved on flight day six, with Wakata again operating the remote manipulator system arm to retrieve the platform.

Image: STS072-321-002 Wakata. jpg | MS Koichi Wakata on the flight deck.

Wakata is a veteran of four NASA Space Shuttle missions and a long-duration stay on the International Space Station.

Wakata first flew aboard STS-72 in 1996, and then returned to space on STS-92 in 2000.

Wakata became the first Japanese astronaut to work on the assembly of the International Space Station during STS-92.

Wakata was the first Japanese astronaut to take part in a long duration mission on the station.

Wakata is currently assigned to the Soyuz TMA-11M / Expedition 38 / Expedition 39 long duration spaceflight scheduled for 2013-2014.

On this mission, Barry and Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata were the first people to play Go in space ; for this achievement, Barry received the honorary award of Ni Dan rank by the Nihon Kiin making him one of only four Western Go players to receive such an award.

Wakata was born in Ōmiya, Saitama, Japan, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1987, a Master of Science degree in Applied Mechanics in 1989, and a Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering in 2004 from Kyushu University.

Wakata was selected by the National Space Development Agency of Japan ( NASDA ) ( now JAXA ) as an astronaut candidate in 1992, and trained at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

On STS-72, Wakata became the first Japanese Mission Specialist.

During STS-72, Wakata and fellow astronaut Dan Barry became the first people to play the game Go in space.

Wakata and Barry used a special Go set, which was named Go Space, designed by Wai-Cheung Willson Chow.

Wakata giving a thumbs-up as he arrives at Kennedy Space Center for the launch of the STS-92 mission.

Wakata is married to the former Stefanie von Sachsen-Altenburg of Bonn, Germany, and has a 11-year-old son.

After taking a few minutes to acclimate themselves in the payload bay, first-time spacewalkers Chiao and Barry attached a portable work platform to the end of the robot arm, operated by Pilot Brent Jett and Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata.

Although local Indians brought gifts of fruit and plantains these were appropriated by the leaders and sailors who largely remained onboard ship.

Official casualty estimates came to a total of 567, including all the crewmen that remained onboard the Grandcamp, but many victims were burned to ashes or blown to bits, and the official total is believed to be an undercount.

Her fate has remained unknown, but detainees sent there were often stripped naked, blindfolded, chained together, and put onboard cargo planes, known as " death flights ".

He remained with Mach One, and Harrods came onboard as sponsor.

The two-module embryonic ISS remained unmanned until the next module, Destiny, the U. S. Laboratory, arrived on February 7, 2001 ; this module was also built by Boeing at MSFC.

A case of time dilation in action is that astronauts return from missions on the International Space Station ( ISS ) having aged less than the mission control crew that remained on Earth.

Two of its astronauts remained in the ISS for about six months, while the Dutch astronaut and the two astronauts who had inhabited the ISS for several months left the ISS on April 29 in the TMA-3 that had remained docked with the ISS, soft landing in Kazakhstan at 00: 11 on April 30.

The crew, consisting of three people, remained in space for 184 days, 178 of which were spent aboard the ISS.

Had political support remained, it is likely that Freedom would have been launched in the same timeframe as the ISS, and reached a complete ( four-man ) configuration around 2003 – 2005.

While Skylab's three crews remained in space 1, 2, and 3 months respectively, long-term crews on Salyut 6, Salyut 7, and the ISS remain about 5 – 6 months, while MIR expeditions often lasted longer.

Interest remained, however, in the possibility that it would serve as a useful supplementary method for counteracting spoilage losses and for preserving some foods at lower over-all costs than freezing, or without employing heat or chemicals with their attendant taste alterations.

The Peelites, however, refused to serve under Stanley or with Disraeli so long as the question of free trade remained unsettled, and attempts to form a purely protectionist government failed.

Albania was admitted on 22 February 1949, to the Comecon and Albania remained important both as a way to put pressure on Yugoslavia and also to serve as a pro-Soviet force in the Adriatic Sea.

Page remained dominant in the party until 1939 and briefly served as an interim Prime Minister between the death of Joseph Lyons and the election of Robert Menzies as his successor, but Page's refusal to serve under Menzies led to his resignation as leader.

Some remained in politics: Mackenzie Bowell continued to serve as a senator ; R. B. Bennett moved to the United Kingdom after being elevated to the House of Lords ; and a number led Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in the Canadian parliament: John A. Macdonald, Arthur Meighen, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Pierre Trudeau, all before being re-appointed as premier ( Mackenzie King twice ); Alexander Mackenzie and John Diefenbaker, both prior to sitting as regular Members of Parliament until their deaths ; Wilfrid Laurier dying while still in the post ; and Charles Tupper, Louis St. Laurent, and John Turner, each before they returned to private business.

The director's health became a continuing problem, so friend and actor James Coburn was brought in to serve as second unit director, and he filmed many of the scenes while Peckinpah remained in his on-location trailer.

Lü Bu fled to Zhang Yang, a northern warlord, and remained with him for a time before briefly joining Yuan Shao, but it was clear that Lü Bu was far too independent to serve another.

William remained in the kingdom and continued to write up until 1184, but by then Jerusalem was internally divided by political factions and externally surrounded by the forces of Saladin, and " the only subjects that present themselves are the disasters of a sorrowing country and its manifold misfortunes, themes which can serve only to draw forth lamentations and tears.

On 11 November 1216 at Gloucester, upon the death of King John, William Marshal was named by the king's council ( the chief barons who had remained loyal to King John in the First Barons ' War ) to serve as protector of the nine year old King Henry III, and regent of the kingdom.

These cases tend to be the exception, however ; the former nature of the ITV network, in which private independent companies were awarded licences to serve geographical areas for a set period of time, meant that when companies lost their licences their archives were often sold to third parties and became fragmented – and / or risked being destroyed ( ownership and copyright remained with the production companies rather than with the network ).

Although the State Highway Commission's minutes reflected its initial approval of the northern route, the issue remained in play, proponents of the southern route ultimately succeeded in persuading a majority of Virginia Highway Commissioners to support the change after a study championed by Perrow demonstrated that it would serve a greater percentage of the state's manufacturing and textile centers.

The public school and post office in Kermit were in the courthouse from 1924 through 1926 to serve the few residents who remained in the area.

" To this day, you ’ ve remained one of my best angels, and not just mine, but all of ours who, week after week, trust that our nicked and ragged selves, however hard we try to press them, will somehow serve to bring God ’ s truth to life.

During the Colonial period, Maryland's Proprietors, the Lords of Baltimore, who generally remained in England, chose who would serve as the Governor of Maryland on their behalf.

The Queen, though, insisted that her son be allowed to remain with his ship, meaning Prince Andrew remained on board Invincible to serve as a Sea King helicopter co-pilot, flying on missions that included anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare, Exocet missile decoy, casualty evacuation, transport, and search and air rescue.

Since the business community exists essentially to serve the townspeople, it too has remained constant.

One revolutionary general who remained in the Philippines, Francisco Macabulos, established a Central Executive Committee to serve as a provisional revolutionary government " until a general government of the Republic in these islands shall again be established.

Some have suggested that his daughter remained unmarried and was given to serve the Lord in the temple.

The heads remained there for ten years until the end of the Mexican War of Independence to serve as a warning to other insurgents.

Libraries often keep many historical documents relevant to their particular town, and serve as a resource for historians in some instances ; for example, the Queens Public Library kept letters written by unrecognized Tiffany lamp designer Clara Driscoll, and the letters remained in the library until a curator discovered them.

In any case, in spite of occasional disagreements, Morny's influence with the emperor remained great, and the liberal policies which he advocated enabled him to serve the imperial cause through his influence with the leaders of the opposition, the most conspicuous of whom, Émile Ollivier, was detached from his colleagues by his efforts.

In the late 1960s, Donald Dewar's wife, Alison, left Dewar for Irvine, and the two men remained unreconciled, even though they were later to serve in the same Cabinet.

Musgrove has remained active in public service since leaving office, continuing to serve on a number of boards and commissions that advocate for quality education and better access to health care for rural and low income families.

Although the reconstruction of the Sun remained a work in progress, this talented class of prospects would serve as the foundation for a team that jumped back into contention quicker than anyone anticipated.

Many members of the Jedi Council remained skeptical of Palpatine's growing powers, especially at the expense of the Senate — the only body they were contractually bound to serve.