
Taking on the astronaut candidate selection process
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) conducted its first astronaut candidate selection process in 13 years, and in February 2023, the agency announced its selection of two new astronaut candidates. There were 4,127 applicants, and less than 1 out of more than 2,000 applicants passed. One of those applicants who took on this challenge was Mr. Danish Ai, a doctoral candidate studying at the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Engineering. Applicants were required to have three or more years of work experience (one year of experience is counted for those with a master’s degree, and three years for those with a doctorate degree). When he applied, Mr. Ai was a senior at the College of Engineering Sciences of the University of Tsukuba, so how did he meet the requirements despite not having had any work experience? He explains, “Right after enrolling at the University of Tsukuba, I joined a space-related club, and I made small artificial satellites and probes. Also, the news that NASA’s helicopter would soon fly over Mars was attracting much attention, so thinking that a better helicopter for Mars exploration could be made, I started my own research. As I was doing my research, I was advised by Prof. Kazuya Yoshida and Prof. Hiroki Nagai of Tohoku University, both of whom were conducting cutting-edge aerospace research. Also, JAXA kindly allowed me to use their facilities to carry out experiments. When I applied to the astronaut candidate selection process, I emphasized that all of the experience I gained through my extra-curricular research gained as an undergraduate was equivalent to work experience. As a result, I passed the document screening (wherein 2,266 applicants passed), and I was able to proceed to the pre-selection stage which included an English proficiency test, a general knowledge exam, a brief essay, and others.”
Although he did not advance to the first, second, or third selection rounds, Mr. Ai says he gained a lot from the experience. “Before I went through the selection process, I envisioned my future as an astronaut solely based on my own experiences and aspirations. But through my interactions with other applicants such as doctors, members of Self-Defense Forces, and people working in the space industry, I learned that while we were all aiming to become astronauts, we had differing ideas and ways of thinking. I also realized how tough the selection process was, and how only those who truly excel pass, which then became a huge motivation for me in my subsequent research and activities,” he says.
After 2021, JAXA plans to recruit astronauts approximately every five years. If everything goes as planned, the next recruitment will be in 2026, and Mr. Ai will be in the third year of his doctoral program. He says, “Of course I will try again. Regardless of the result, taking on the challenge will surely lead to new developments. For me, there is no choice but to try.”