A Japanese astronaut will be the first non-American participant in a NASA lunar mission, marking a significant milestone in space exploration cooperation between the two nations, according to a senior US official.
The anticipated announcement, set to occur during Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Washington to meet President Joe Biden, signifies a strengthening of economic and defense connections between the two countries. This move represents Washington’s ongoing strategy to leverage the space program in building alliances with friendly nations and to rival China in the lunar exploration race.
The Japanese astronaut will participate in the Artemis program, an initiative led by NASA aiming to send astronauts back to the moon as early as 2026, marking over fifty years since the last Apollo mission.
The Biden administration has achieved significant milestones in its space diplomacy approach.
During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington last September, the two nations unveiled plans for NASA to collaborate with India’s space agency on a joint mission to the International Space Station.
Additionally, New Delhi agreed to endorse the Artemis Accords, a US-supported endeavor aimed at establishing protocols for activities on the moon and beyond in space.
Japan and India are among over three dozen nations that have endorsed the Artemis Accords, with Greece and Uruguay joining in February.
China has not signed the accords; instead, it is advocating for cooperation with Russia to establish a lunar research base.
Despite committing to sending its first astronauts to the moon by the end of the decade, Beijing has only achieved limited success in garnering support for the lunar research base, with some expressions of backing from countries including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Pakistan, and South Africa.