Space shuttle Discovery lifted off on 5 April 2010 carrying Naoko Yamazaki, marking her role as the second Japanese woman to travel into space. This mission, designated STS-131, concluded on 20 April 2010, contributing to a total of 15.12 days spent in orbital flight during her tenure as a mission specialist with the National Space Development Agency of Japan.
Academic Foundation and Engineering Career
Born in Matsudo in 1970, Yamazaki graduated from Ochanomizu Women's University High School in 1989. She pursued advanced studies at the University of Tokyo, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in 1993 and a Master of Science degree in 1996, both with a major in Aerospace Engineering. She subsequently joined the National Space Development Agency in 1996. Her technical contributions included working on system integration for the Japanese Experiment Module and performing failure analysis. Between 1998 and 2000, she also participated in conceptual framework and preliminary design tasks for a life science experiment facility.
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In February 1999, the National Space Development Agency selected Yamazaki as an astronaut candidate. She began basic training in April 1999 and attained official certification in September 2001. Her preparation intensified in May 2004 when she completed Soyuz-TMA Flight Engineer training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center in Russia. Following her arrival at the Johnson Space Center in Houston in June 2004, she entered the Astronaut Candidate Training school and joined the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch. She earned her selection as a NASA mission specialist in 2006.
Post-Flight Contributions
Yamazaki retired from the National Space Development Agency on 31 August 2011. Following her flight, she returned to research at the University of Tokyo in December 2010. Her professional activity expanded to include membership in the Japanese government Space Policy Committee and involvement in STEM promotion. In July 2018, she co-founded the Space Port Japan Association to foster the development of spaceports. She also serves as an adviser to the Young Astronaut Club and chairs the Women in Aerospace program of the Japan Rocket Society. As of July 2019, she was pursuing a PhD at the Intelligent Space Systems Lab.
Fast facts
- Born: 1970, Matsudo, Japan
- Education: University of Tokyo, Ochanomizu Women's University High School
- Flight Mission: STS-131
- Total Time in Space: 15.12 days
- Award: Young Global Leaders (2011)
- Languages: Japanese
Questions readers ask
Was Naoko Yamazaki the first Japanese woman to go into space?
No, she was the second. The first Japanese woman to fly in space was Chiaki Mukai.
Did she work for NASA?
She was trained at the NASA Johnson Space Center and was selected as a NASA mission specialist in 2006.
Achievements
- Affiliated with Joshibi University of Art and Design and National Space Development Agency
- Educated at University of Tokyo, Ochanomizu Women's University High School and University of Maryland
- Worked as astronaut, engineer and visiting professor
