Meet Koichi Wakata, Japanese astronaut whose video playing solo baseball in space goes viral

A video of an astronaut playing solo baseball in space has caught the attention of several X users, including the world's richest man, Elon Musk. In the viral video, the astronaut is seen playing solo baseball aboard the space station. But do you know who this astronaut is? His name is Koichi Wakata, a veteran astronaut with decades of human spaceflight experience. The 61-year-old also shared the video and wrote, "It's baseball season - the MLB season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68 I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity you don't need a whole team, you can play all of the positions!" Check out the video here:

It's baseball season - the @MLB season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68 I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity you don't need a whole team, you can play all of the positions! pic.twitter.com/m1d19mbzfE

— Koichi Wakata (@Astro_Wakata) March 18, 2025

Wakata is from Japan and serves as chief technology officer of the Asia-Pacific region at Axiom Space. He leads the expansion of Axiom Space's business and strategic presence in the region and contributes to the advancement of Axiom Station, the world’s first commercial space station. Wakata holds a PhD in Aerospace Engineering, a Master of Science in Applied Mechanics and a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.

He contributed to the construction of the modules of the International Space Station (ISS), including the Japanese Experiment Module 'Kibo'. Wakata was the first astronaut to serve as JAXA’s ISS program manager and vice president for human space technology. He officially retired from JAXA on March 31, 2024. Wakata’s astronaut career includes five space flights, more than any other Japanese astronaut, logging 504 days in space on four different spacecraft (Space Shuttle; Soyuz; SpaceX Crew Dragon; the ISS).

READ | IPL 2025: Google CEO Sundar Pichai reacts after Gujarat Titans bench Washington Sundar against PBKS, says, 'I have been...'