USAToday: Japan's Noguchi sure to find stardom in space
Soichi Noguchi will become a national hero in Japan. The buildup at home has already started. More than 70 Japanese journalists came to Houston for a chance to interview him in early April. "I'm not sure he will be like a rock star. But he will be a very famous astronaut in Japan. He will be a hero," said Maki Uno, senior news producer for NHK Japan Broadcasting Co...He was selected as an astronaut in 1996. He's been at home in Houston since then. He's tall, funny and a good karaoke singer. At 6 feet, he played American football for two years at the University of Tokyo...the athleticism and sensitive hands he developed as a wide receiver probably will help him handle the 600-pound gyroscope he will replace during one of his seven-hour spacewalks...At one Halloween party, Noguchi arrived dressed as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, and his wife was dressed as a Cowboys player. His choice of costume was a big hit at the party and evidence that he understood American humor...more...
