Japan's space agency taps astronaut Akihiko Hoshide for International Space Station command

Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide will be onboard the International Space Station for about six months from around May 2020 and serve as its commander during the latter part of his stay, Japan's space agency said Friday. It will be the 49-year-old engineer's third trip to space following his missions in 2008 and 2012, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). He will be the second Japanese commander of the ISS after Koichi Wakata, 54, who was tasked with the job for two months from March 2014. Hoshide's missions on the ISS have included the maintenance of facilities, conducting scientific experiments and manipulating the station's robotic arm. He will serve as the ISS commander for the final two months of his mission to ensure the safety of crew members and successful completion of their missions.