On February 5, 2018, NASA astronauts Andrew Morgan and Christina Koch and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi were introduced to GCTC authorities and specialists and started training in GCTC on Soyuz MS simulator and Russian ISS segment simulator to be second flight engineers in the future space missions.
Andrew Morgan appointed to be ISS-58/59 back-up crew member and Cristina Koch to be ISS-59/60 back-up crew member were selected by NASA in June 2013.
Preparation training program included numerous scientific and technical studies, briefings on ISS systems, trainings of EVA and robotic science, medical trainings, flights aboard T-38 aircrafts and water and desert survival trainings. The finished preparation course in July 2015 and were certified to perform a space flight.
Unlike American astronauts Soichi Noguchi already has space flight experience. His first flight was aboard Discovery shuttle (July 26 – August 9,2005). During this mission Noguchi performed three spacewalks and became the first Japanese astronaut accomplishing EVA aboard the ISS. He went to space for the second time as Soyuz TMA-17 flight engineer on December 21, 2009 and spent in space 161 days coming back on June 2010.
“It was a good experience, a nice mission, – Noguchi says. – Hope the next mission will be as good. I am very glad to come to Star City and start training again.” NASA astronauts shared his opinion. “For me it’s a great honor for me to train here and go to the ISS with my colleagues. Friendship in space means friendship on the Earth”, – Andrew Morgan added.