Earl Hines
A calm-handed engineer who helped build the International Space Station and later commanded it, representing Japan's steady ascent in space.
1903–1983 (age 80)·American jazz pianist·Birthday: December 28·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Akihiko Hoshide's path to the stars was paved not with flashy heroics, but with the meticulous focus of a systems engineer. Selected by Japan's space agency NASDA (now JAXA) in 1999, he embodied a new era of international astronaut: a specialist who operated as a crucial node in the vast, complex machine of the International Space Station. His first flight in 2008 delivered the Japanese Kibo laboratory's main module, a cornerstone of Japan's orbital presence. On his second, he conducted three spacewalks, his hands working in the void to maintain the Station's backbone. His career apex came in 2022 when he assumed command of the ISS, only the second Japanese astronaut to do so, leading a multinational crew through a busy expedition. Hoshide's story is one of quiet competence, reflecting the essential, collaborative spirit required to live and work in space.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Earl was born in 1903, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Earl Was Born
The biggest hits of 1903
Earl's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1903Born
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Started school
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1916Became a teenager
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Could drive
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Could vote
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1924Turned 21
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1933Turned 30
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 40
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 50
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 60
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 70
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 80
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
Key Achievements
- Served as Commander of the International Space Station during Expedition 65 in 2021-2022.
- Participated in the delivery and assembly of the Japanese Kibo laboratory module across multiple space shuttle and ISS missions.
- Logged over 340 days in space across three long-duration missions and performed four spacewalks.
Did You Know?
He operated the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture the first commercial cargo spacecraft, SpaceX's Dragon, in 2012.
Before becoming an astronaut, he worked as an engineer developing rocket engines for Japan's H-II launch vehicle.
He played a traditional Japanese bamboo flute, the *shakuhachi*, while aboard the ISS.
He holds a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Houston.
“My left hand was my orchestra, setting the trumpet line free.”
