He came close, but Satoshi Takamatsu, 57, never got to live out his dream of being the first Japanese civilian to venture to the International Space Station.
Takamatsu, who underwent rigorous cosmonaut training in Russia, is now using that experience to launch himself as photographer and artist, beginning with an exhibition about his short-lived space career that opened Friday in a gallery in the Omotesando area of Tokyo.
The exhibition -- titled "Failure" -- includes photos of a rocket base in Kazakhstan and the facility in Russia where Takamatsu, who lives in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, underwent training. Also on display are items such as the space suit that he wore.
The wide variety of photos range from his daily life at the Russian training facility to close-ups of the rocket engine nozzles, which make it feel as if you are looking at the real thing. A characteristic of his works, in addition to skillful use of light and composition, is that they are cropped to resemble paintings.
Takamatsu was working at an advertising agency when he made a name for himself by creating commercials for soft drinks and instant foods that are set in outer space. Having wanted to become an astronaut since he was little, he left the world of advertising in 2014 and entered the Russian training center the following year.
However, he was unable to meet the requirements to actually go into space, losing his status as an official trainee and not being certified as a cosmonaut by Russia.
"I wasn't able to become an astronaut, but someday I will go to space as an artist and take photos of the Earth," Takamatsu said.
The exhibition runs through Sept. 27 at Space Films Gallery. It is closed Monday.
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