YUI Kimiya

Born in Nagano, Japan.

Graduated from the School of Science and Engineering at the National Defense Academy of Japan.

Joined Japan Air Self-Defense Force at the Japan Defense Agency (currently Ministry of Defense).

Joined the Air Staff Office (ASO) at the Ministry of Defense as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Selected by JAXA as a Japanese astronaut candidate to work on the International Space Station (ISS).

Joined JAXA.
Commenced Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) training at NASA, which includes scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction on ISS systems, Extravehicular Activities (EVAs), robotics, physiological training, flight training using the T-38 jet trainer, and water and wilderness survival training.

Completed Astronaut Candidate training at NASA.
Certified as an ISS astronaut.

Participated in the 16th NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO 16).

Joined the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), NASA’s wilderness leadership training, in Alaska.

Assigned as a flight engineer for ISS Expeditions 44 and 45.

Spent approximately 142 days aboard the ISS as a flight engineer with Expeditions 44 and 45. Became the first Japanese astronaut to capture the H-II Transfer Vehicle "KOUNOTORI". In addition to constructing a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, conducted a total of 21 experiments for JAXA.

Assigned as Chief of the JAXA Astronaut Group.

Assigned for another long-duration mission aboard the ISS, scheduled for 2024. (In November 2023, the long-duration mission aboard the ISS was rescheduled for 2025.)