NASA to take first non-American astronaut to the moon

• President Joe Biden announced a Japanese astronaut will walk on the moon
• The partnership aims to strengthen ties with America’s key Asian ally
• READ MORE: NASA delays its return to the moon due to ‘safety concerns 

America is set to share the glory of returning humans to the moon, as Japan will become the first non-US nation to put boots on the lunar surface.

A pair of Japanese astronauts will join NASA’s Artemis 3 mission that is scheduled for 2026, which could soon be followed by astronauts setting up bases on the lunar surface.

President Joe Biden announced the partnership on Wednesday, as Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio was visiting America and Washington seeks to strengthen ties with its key Asian ally.

Kishida hailed the announcement as a ‘huge achievement,’ saying Japan would supply a rover for the program that will be vital to building a lunar habitat.

A pair of Japanese astronauts will join NASA’s Artemis 3 mission that is scheduled for 2026 – only one will walk on the moon

Japan became the fifth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon, with its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) craft touching down in January.

However, nation attempted to launch the Hakuto-R Mission 1 (M1) lander in August 2023.

The craft, developed by the private company iSpace, lost connection shortly after its descent to the lunar surface and was lost before touching down.

But now, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will send two astronauts along with NASA’s Artemis III mission – but only one will step on the moon.

‘Two Japanese astronauts will join future American missions, and one will become the first non-American ever to land on the moon,’ Biden said in a press conference with Kishida.

President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday, as Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio was visiting America and Washington seeks to strengthen ties with its key Asian ally

‘Those ties stretch up to the moon, where two Japanese astronauts will join future American missions, and one will become the first non-American ever to land on the moon,’ he continued.

NASA’s Artemis program seeks to return humans to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, and to build a sustained lunar presence ahead of potential missions to Mars.

READ MORE: Japan’s lunar lander springs back to life 

The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) finally woke up almost a month after it first landed at a wonky angle that left it unable to charge.

Between 1969 and 1972, the US Apollo program saw 12 Americans – all white men – walk on the Moon.

But NASA had previously announced that Artemis III will also include the first woman and person of color.

NASA chief Bill Nelson said: ‘The quest for the stars is led by nations that explore the cosmos openly, in peace, and together.

‘This is true for the US and Japan under the leadership of President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida.’

‘America will no longer walk on the moon alone.’

‘Diplomacy is good for discovery. And discovery is good for diplomacy.’

Tokyo and Washington have worked side-by-side in the space sector for years, notably collaborating on operations at the International Space Station (ISS).

Approximately six JAXA astronauts have spent time on the ISS.

In a joint media release, the US and Japan clarified that a Japanese national would land on the Moon ‘assuming important benchmarks are achieved,’ without clarifying further.

The lunar rover provided by Japan will be pressurized, meaning astronauts can travel farther and work for longer periods on the lunar surface.

It will accommodate two astronauts for up to 30 days as they traverse the area near the lunar South Pole.

Japan’s Minister of Education Masahito Moriyama, who is also visiting the US, said: ‘Under the partnership stronger than ever, we will drive the initiative together with JAXA, including the development of the pressurized rover that vastly extends the exploration capability on the lunar surface, to realize the shared goal for Japanese and American astronauts to, together, explore the moon.’

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