Hideo Itokawa

Hideo Itokawa (Japanese糸 川 英 夫, born July 20, 1912 in Tokyo, † 21 February 1999) was a pioneer of Japanese rocketry and of the Japanese space program. In Japan he was known as Dr. Rocket.

Itokawa was a highly gifted and skipped several classes. In 1935, he completed a degree in aeronautical engineering at the Imperial University of Tokyo. In 1941 he was a lecturer there.

During the Second World War he designed aircraft at the Nakajima Hikoki. He designed the fighter Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa.

In 1948 he was appointed professor at the University of Tokyo. In 1967 he retired and founded his own institute.

Itokawas interests were wide -ranging. He was active in many areas, such as sports, philosophy, music ( he played cello, organ, violin, Taishokin (a type of xylophone) and arranged pieces for orchestra) and as a writer. He wrote 49 books, several of which were bestsellers.

In his honor, the asteroid ( 25143 ) Itokawa was named, was the goal of the space probe Hayabusa.