The Japanese commander of the International Space Station has given the tiny red dot nation a shout-out, though it’s looking more grey from space than any other color.
Akihiko Hoshide, who currently commands the International Space Station, shared from space a photograph of Singapore and reminisced about his days studying at the United World College of South East Asia, or UWCSEA.
“Singapore, where I spent 2 yrs in high school. Can you spot my school? #UWCSEA,” the 52-year-old wrote. Akihiko graduated from the international school in 1987.
Singapore, where I spent 2 yrs in high school. Can you spot my school? #UWCSEA pic.twitter.com/JN0Q9oIPLT
— 星出 彰彦 (JAXA宇宙飛行士) (@Aki_Hoshide) May 10, 2021
While it’s nice to see the island from space, the image also betrays the fact most of the country’s forests have been wiped out. Little green space remains.
In the photo, the vast majority of the once-lush, 724.2 square-kilometer city-state appears paved over. The visible swathes of greenery include parks around Bukit Timah and farms at Choa Chu Kang.
Singapore last year announced ambitious environmental goals for the future while habitat loss and deforestation continued despite the pandemic slowdown.
Hoshide frequently tweets pictures from his time in space, including team dinners and movie nights.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut last month made his third launch bound for the station aboard a SpaceX Dragon vehicle, the private company’s second such flight. NASA celebrated it as the 65th crew expedition to the station, a mission set to end in October. He became the second Japanese astronaut to command the station following Koichi Wakata in 2014.
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