
Hitoshi Kuninaka
Program manager, HAYABUSA2
Director of the Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center (TansaX), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Professor at the Department of Space Flight Systems, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
Dr. Kuninaka completed a Ph.D. program in aerodynamics at the University of Tokyo’s School of Engineering in 1988. That same year he took up a new post at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, which is now part of JAXA. In 2005, Dr. Kuninaka became a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Tokyo’s School of Engineering. Dr. Kuninaka’s areas of expertise are electric propulsion and plasma engineering. He has been involved in the development of the ion engines for the Hayabusa asteroid explorers.
In 2011 he served as Lunar and Planetary Exploration Program Group Director, and in 2012, he became project manager of Asteroid Explorer Hayabusa2. Assumed his current post in 2015.
Awards/Honors
2004 Technical Prize for “Microwave-Discharge Ion Engine System”, Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences
2006 Space Pioneer Award to Hayabusa Mission Team, National Space Society
2007 Best Paper Award in 2005 IEPC of Electric Rocket Propulsion Society, IEPC-2005-10
2007 Best Paper Award in 2006 of AIAA Electric Propulsion Technical Committee, AIAA Paper 2006-4318
2010 AIAA Electric Propulsion Outstanding Technical Achievement Award of AIAA Electric Propulsion Technical Committee to Hayabusa Ion Thruster Team
2010 Special Prize of the Commendation for Science and Technology, for Establishment of Round-trip Space Technology in Hayabusa Asteroid Mission, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan
2011 Von Braun Award to Hayabusa Project Team, National Space Society
2011 Laurels for Team Achievement Hayabusa, International Academy of
Astronautics
2012 Fellowship of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
2012 International SpaceOps Award for Outstanding Achievement to Hayabusa
Operations Team, SpaceOps Organization
2013 Stuhlinger Medal, Electric Rocket Propulsion Society
2016 Elected as a corresponding member of AIAA International Academy of
Astronautics