Japanese Entrepreneur To Join Russia Space Agency's Training Program

TOKYO, JAPAN - JAN. 7: Space Adventures Ltd., a Virginia-based operator of human space missions, said Wednesday Japanese entrepreneur Satoshi Takamatsu will join a space flight training program provided by the Russian Federal Space Agency after being accepted as a standby for a visit to the International Space Station. Takamatsu, 51-year-old president of Space Travel, a Japanese startup firm providing space travel services, will be backup to British singer Sarah Brightman, who is scheduled to travel to the space station later this year, Space Adventures said. "We have worked with Mr. Takamatsu over the last decade and as we continue our efforts to expand private spaceflight opportunities, we look forward to work closely with him and his newly formed Space Travel firm in providing these opportunities to the people of Japan," Tom Shelley, president of Space Adventures, said in a press release. When Takamatsu worked for Japan's biggest advertizing agency Dentsu Inc., he devised advertising for beverages and noodles featuring the International Space Station. Takamatsu, who has already cleared the Russian Federal Space Agency's medical tests and preliminary training program, will start training later this month mainly at the "Star City" space industry settlement in the suburbs of Moscow. He will also receive training at NASA. Takamatsu plans to publicize his training over the Internet, the company said. At a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, Shelley said he is happy to have accepted Takamatsu as his company's guest. Takamatsu told the news conference he has wanted to be an astronaut since the age of 6 when he saw on television the Apollo 11 spacecraft which carried the first humans to the moon in 1969. Noting that he has finally seized the opportunity at the age of 51, Takamatsu said he wants people to know that anyone can realize their dream.
TOKYO, JAPAN - JAN. 7: Space Adventures Ltd., a Virginia-based operator of human space missions, said Wednesday Japanese entrepreneur Satoshi Takamatsu will join a space flight training program provided by the Russian Federal Space Agency after being accepted as a standby for a visit to the International Space Station. Takamatsu, 51-year-old president of Space Travel, a Japanese startup firm providing space travel services, will be backup to British singer Sarah Brightman, who is scheduled to travel to the space station later this year, Space Adventures said. "We have worked with Mr. Takamatsu over the last decade and as we continue our efforts to expand private spaceflight opportunities, we look forward to work closely with him and his newly formed Space Travel firm in providing these opportunities to the people of Japan," Tom Shelley, president of Space Adventures, said in a press release. When Takamatsu worked for Japan's biggest advertizing agency Dentsu Inc., he devised advertising for beverages and noodles featuring the International Space Station. Takamatsu, who has already cleared the Russian Federal Space Agency's medical tests and preliminary training program, will start training later this month mainly at the "Star City" space industry settlement in the suburbs of Moscow. He will also receive training at NASA. Takamatsu plans to publicize his training over the Internet, the company said. At a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, Shelley said he is happy to have accepted Takamatsu as his company's guest. Takamatsu told the news conference he has wanted to be an astronaut since the age of 6 when he saw on television the Apollo 11 spacecraft which carried the first humans to the moon in 1969. Noting that he has finally seized the opportunity at the age of 51, Takamatsu said he wants people to know that anyone can realize their dream.
PURCHASE A LICENSE

Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to use this asset.

DETAILS

Editorial #:
461299312
Collection:
Kyodo News
Date created:
January 07, 2015
Upload date:
License type:
Rights-ready
Release info:
Not released. More information
Clip length:
00:01:19:27
Location:
Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Mastered to:
QuickTime 8-bit Photo-JPEG HD 1920x1080 29.97p
Source:
Kyodo News
Object name:
15-01-07-1-17.mov