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Satoshi Furakawa

SATOSHI FURUKAWA

PROFILE

Full Name:

Dr. Satoshi Furukawa

Rank:

Civilian (MD, PhD)

Born:

4 April 1964, in Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Japan (Japanese).

Education:

1983: Graduated from Eiko High School, Kamakura.

 

1989: (Mar) Graduated with a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the University of Tokyo.

 

2000: PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of Tokyo.

Career Highlights:

Jun 1989-Jun 1990: Worked in the Department of Surgery and Department of Anaesthesiology at the JR Tokyo General Hospital, affiliated with the Department of Medicine, University of Tokyo.

 

Jun 1990-Jun 1991: Surgical resident at the Ibaraki Prefecture Central Hospital.

 

Jun 1991-Apr 1994: Surgeon at the Ibaraki Prefecture Central Hospital.

 

Apr-Jul 1994: Member of the First Department of Surgery at a hospital affiliated with the Department of Medicine, University of Tokyo.

 

Jul 1994-Jan 1995: Member of the Department of Surgery, Sakuragaoka Hospital.

 

Jan 1995-Dec 1996: Member of the First Department of Surgery at a hospital affiliated with the Department of Medicine, University of Tokyo.

 

Dec 1996-Jun 1997: Member of the Department of Surgery, Sakuragaoka Hospital.

 

Jun 1997-Apr 1999: Member of the First Department of Surgery at a hospital affiliated with the Department of Medicine, University of Tokyo.

 

 

NASDA/JAXA ASTRONAUT ASSIGNMENTS

1999:

(10 Feb) Selected by the Japanese National Space Development Agency (NASDA) as one of three astronaut candidates (NASDA Group 4); (Apr) Began a two-year NASDA astronaut basic training course, NASDA Astronaut Office, Tsukuba Science City; (5 Jul) began a one-week Russian sea training course at Kudepsta, Black Sea coast; NASDA astronaut basic training.

2000:

NASDA astronaut basic training.

2001:

NASDA astronaut basic training; (24 Jan) completed course and certified as a NASDA astronaut; (Apr) began ISS advanced training; technical assignments included supporting hardware and operational development of the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo; ISS advanced training.

2002:

ISS advanced training; (26 Aug-6 Sep) completed an ISS flight training programme at the ESA European Astronaut Centre, Cologne, Germany; (6 Sep) graduated ESA ISS flight training programme.

2003:

ISS advanced training; (Jan and Mar) participated in the second Kibo hardware training session; (Jul-Sep) Soyuz TMA spacecraft simulator training, TsPK, Russia; (1 Oct) NASDA merged with ISAS and the NAL to form JAXA, service continuous; (Nov) assigned to support EVA procedures related to supporting the delivery of the Kibo laboratory to the ISS; ISS advanced training and support.

2004:

ISS advanced training and support; (May) certified as a Soyuz TMA Flight Engineer 1, TsPK, Russia; (Jun) began a two-year NASA Ascan training programme with NASA Group 19 "The Peacocks" at JSC, Houston, Texas, USA; NASA Ascan training.

2005:

NASA Ascan training.

2006:

NASA Ascan training; (10 Feb) completed NASA Ascan course, qualifying him as a Mission Specialist (MS) and for technical assignments within NASA's Astronaut Office (CB); assigned NASA Astronaut Office ISS and Robotics Branches; CB technical assignments.

2007:

CB technical assignments; (24 Jul) named as aquanaut for NEEMO-13; NEEMO training; (6-15 Aug) Aquanaut, NEEMO-13 (10 days) in Aquarius undersea research laboratory; NEEMO debrief; technical assignments.

2008:

Technical assignments; returned to ISS expedition training group; ISS advanced training; (14 May) assigned to the ISS Expedition 20 BUp crew; (Nov) future ISS expedition designations were renumbered, with Expedition 20 becoming Expedition 22/23; (17 Dec) re-assigned as BUp FE ISS EO 22/23 and identified as prime FE ISS EO 28/29; ISS Expedition training.

2009:

ISS Expedition training; (7 Oct) assigned as prime FE-1 Soyuz TMA/ISS EO 28/29; (20 Dec) BUp FE-1 Soyuz TMA-17; ISS Expedition training.

2010:

ISS Expedition training; (26 Nov) passed pre-flight examination on Soyuz TMA simulator and passed examination on ISS Russian segment, TsPK; (15 Dec) BUp FE-1 Soyuz TMA-20; ISS Expedition training.

2011:

ISS Expedition training; (12-13 May) EO 28/29 crews passed exams on Russian segment and Soyuz TMA-M simulators; ISS Expedition training; (7 Jun-22 Nov) Flew as Flight Engineer Soyuz TMA-02M (ISS-28/29 Flight Engineer-5 (167 days 6 hrs 12 min); ISS post-flight recovery and debriefing.

2012:

ISS post-flight recovery and debriefing.

2013:

(15-28 Sep) 'Cavenaut' in the ESA 2013 CAVES expedition on the island of Sardinia, Italy (2 weeks).

2014-2021:

(Apr 2014-Mar 2021) Head of JAXA Space Biomedical Research Group.

 

In 2016 and 2017, Furukawa served as the Project Supervisor for a two-week, 40-person space flight analogue mission in Tsukuba, Tokyo. The group's stress levels and mental well-being were to be compared with those of experienced crewmembers during actual space flight. The data was assessed by two researchers, who were subsequently found to have fabricated their results. Between Nov 2020 and 2021, JAXA investigated the simulation and its results and, from its findings, suspended the experiment and officially reprimanded Furukawa in his role as supervisor. Since he was not personally involved in falsifying the research and data, JAXA allowed him to remain on the astronaut team and continue his preparations for a planned mission in 2023.

2020:

Head of JAXA Space Biomedical Research Group; (Nov) returned to ISS Expedition training group; ISS Expedition training.

2021:

ISS Expedition training; (Mar) replaced as Head of JAXA Biomedical Research Group to resume ISS Expedition training full time; ISS Expedition training.

2022:

ISS Expedition training.

2023:

(May) Formal announcement of SpaceX Crew 7 crew; ISS Expedition training; (26 Aug - 12 Mar 2024) flew as MS-1 SpaceX Crew 7 aboard Endurance (ISS EO 69/70 Flight Engineer 13) 199 days 2 hrs 20 min.

2024:

In space (until 12 Mar); ISS post-flight recovery and debriefing; JAXA assignments.

2025:

JAXA assignments.

2026:

JAXA assignments; (31 Mar) retired from JAXA to take up a position in academia.

 

 

POST-ASTRONAUT EXPERIENCE

2026-date:

(From Apr) Professor at Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

 

 

Satoshi FURUKAWA Space Flight Missions

Mission

Vehicle

Position

Dates

DD/MM/YYYY

Duration

DD:HH:MM:SS

EVAs

ISS EO-28/29

Soyuz TMA-02M

TMA FE-1, ISS FE-5

07/06/2011-22/11/2011

167:06:12+

0

ISS EO-69/70

SpaceX Crew 7

MS-1, ISS FE-13

26/08/2023-12/03/2024

199:02:20+

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

Missions Flown:

2

Total Flight Time:

366:08:32+

0

 
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This profile is copyright Astro Info Service Ltd, 2026.

All images are courtesy of NASA, unless otherwise stated.
the 1999 Japanese astronaut selections pose in front of national and space agency flags. (l to r) Furukawa, Sumino and Hoshide
The 1999 NASDA (later JAXA) astronaut selection poses for a group portrait. (L to r) Satoshi Furukawa, Naoko Sumino [Yamazaki after her marriage] and Aki Hoshide.

Image courtesy of NASDA/JAXA via spacefacts.de
Japanese astronaut Furukawa gives a thumbs up to the camera while wearing an EVA spacesuit during training at NASA
Although he never performed an EVA on his two space flights, Furukawa (and his back-up Hoshide) had to be EMU/EVA qualified to be able to fly to the ISS. Here, the two astronauts are training at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL).
wearing virtual reality helmet and gloves, Furukawa trains on some of the tasks he would be working on aboard the ISS during Expedition 28/29
In the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at JSC, Houston, Furukawa is using VR hardware to train on some of the tasks he will be doing during Expedition 28/29 aboard the ISS.
in a classic microgravity pose with arms outstretched, Furukawa floats through the Destiny Laboaratory aboard ISS during his stay in Expedition 28.
JAXA astronaut Furukawa is seen floating freely in microgravity in the Destiny Laboratory aboard the ISS during Expedition 28 in 2011.
Japanese astronaut Furukawa takes time to view the Earth from orbit while floating in the cupola aboard the ISS
Now part of Expedition 29, Furukawa takes a few moments to view the Earth from orbit in the Cupola aboard the ISS.
in the Unity module ofthe ISS, Expedition 69 Flight Engineers Moghbeli, Rubio (both NASA) and Furukawa (JAXA) come together to have lunch
Expedition 69 Flight Engineers come together in the Unity Module of the ISS to have lunch. (L to r) Jasmin Moghbeli, Frank Rubio (both NASA) and Satoshi Furukawa (JAXA).
a smiling and waving Furukawa is helped from the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at the end of his six-month stay aboard ISS on Expedition 69/70 in 2023/4
Furukawa is helped out of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft Endurance aboard the SpaceX recovery ship Megan having returned from nearly six months aboard the ISS during Expedition 69/70 in 2023/24.

Image courtesy of NASA/Joel Kowsky.