--- title: "Watch an Astronaut Play Piano on the ISS as the Earth Drifts in the Background" description: "In a lamenting and bittersweet video uploaded to YouTube, Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi took the time to say farewell to the International Space Station." date: "2021-04-23" modified: "2021-04-23" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/astronaut-piano-iss-earth-background" categories: - "International Space Station" - "NASA" - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "international space station" - "iss" - "JAXA" - "the digest" --- # Watch an Astronaut Play Piano on the ISS as the Earth Drifts in the Background ![]() *\Image: Soichi Noguchi\* ## Farewell ISS In a bittersweet video uploaded to YouTube, Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi took the time to say farewell to the International Space Station by playing a somber tune on a Yamaha electric keyboard, as the Earth drifts in the background. The video was uploaded on the same day SpaceX and NASA [launched]() yet another crew of four astronauts. Noguchi will soon [return back down to Earth on April 28](), according to NASA. Accompanying the slideshow of various images Noguchi has taken since arriving at the space station in November — a melancholic farewell to Noguchi's temporary home in space. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pcP1PS7yqM ## Space Maestro What makes the performance truly authentic, however, is Noguchi's well-but-not-perfectly rehearsed rendition — and the incredible views of Earth behind him as he plays. Noguchi appears to be playing a medley of songs from the 1984 J-pop album "NO SIDE" by artist Yumi Matsutoya. Noguchi made his performance from what appears to be the Cupola, an ESA-built observatory module that features seven windows, with one large 31 inch diameter window in the center. The astronaut has kept himself busy — apart from conducting research and doing space walks — by uploading [numerous videos]() to his YouTube channel during his stay on board the ISS, including a [heartfelt rendition]() of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," accompanied by dazzling views of the night sky. Noguchi is also the first non-American to launch to space on board three different spacecraft: the Space Shuttle, the Soyuz, and the Crew Dragon. Have a safe trip Soichi — it's time to come back down to Earth. **More on the ISS:** *[SpaceX Sends Four Astronauts Into Space On Reused Spacecraft]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()