Naoko Yamazaki
Encyclopedia
is a former Japanese female astronaut
at JAXA
, the second Japanese woman to qualified. The first was Chiaki Mukai
.
. She spent two years of her childhood in Sapporo. After graduating from Ochanomizu University Senior High School in 1989, Yamazaki earned a Bachelor of Science degree major in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Tokyo
in 1993, earned a Master of Science degree major in Aerospace Engineering in 1996.
Astronaut Basic Training program beginning in April 1999, and was certified as an astronaut in September 2001. Since 2001, Yamazaki has participated in ISS Advanced Training and supported the development of the hardware and operation of the Japanese Experiment Module
. In May 2004, Yamazaki completed Soyuz
-TMA Flight Engineer training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center
in Star City, Russia
.
in Houston, Texas to begin Astronaut Candidate Training school. She is currently assigned to the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch.
In November 2008, JAXA announced that Yamazaki would become the second Japanese woman to fly in space on STS-131
, scheduled to launch in 2010.
On April 5, 2010 Yamazaki entered space on the shuttle Discovery as part of mission STS-131. She returned to Earth on April 20, 2010.
Yamazaki retired from JAXA as at August 31 2011.
and has two children. She enjoys scuba diving, snow skiing, flying and music.
In 2007, Yamazaki provided the voice as herself in episode 7 of the anime Rocket Girls
.
Yamazaki is a part time researcher at the University of Tokyo since December 2010.
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
at JAXA
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
The , or JAXA, is Japan's national aerospace agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on October 1, 2003, as an Independent Administrative Institution administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the...
, the second Japanese woman to qualified. The first was Chiaki Mukai
Chiaki Mukai
is a Japanese doctor, and JAXA astronaut. She was the first Japanese woman in space, and was the first Japanese citizen to have two spaceflights. Both were Space Shuttle missions; her first was STS-65 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1994, which was a Spacelab mission. Her second spaceflight...
.
Early life
Yamazaki was born Naoko Sumino in Matsudo CityMatsudo, Chiba
is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 484,578 and a population density of 7900 persons per km²...
. She spent two years of her childhood in Sapporo. After graduating from Ochanomizu University Senior High School in 1989, Yamazaki earned a Bachelor of Science degree major in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Tokyo
University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
in 1993, earned a Master of Science degree major in Aerospace Engineering in 1996.
JAXA career
Yamazaki was selected an astronaut candidate in February 1999 by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA, now JAXA), attended the ISSISS
The ISS is the International Space Station.ISS may also refer to:* I See Stars, an American electronic rock band* ISS A/S, a Danish service company* Idea Star Singer, a Malayalam music reality show by Asianet TV...
Astronaut Basic Training program beginning in April 1999, and was certified as an astronaut in September 2001. Since 2001, Yamazaki has participated in ISS Advanced Training and supported the development of the hardware and operation of the Japanese Experiment Module
Japanese Experiment Module
The Japanese Experiment Module , also known with the nickname , is a Japanese science module for the International Space Station developed by JAXA. It is the largest single ISS module. The first two pieces of the module were launched on space shuttle missions STS-123 and STS-124...
. In May 2004, Yamazaki completed Soyuz
Soyuz spacecraft
Soyuz , Union) is a series of spacecraft initially designed for the Soviet space programme by the Korolyov Design Bureau in the 1960s, and still in service today...
-TMA Flight Engineer training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center
Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center
The Yu. A. Gagarin State Scientific Research-and-Testing Cosmonaut Training Center is a Russian training facility responsible for training cosmonauts for their space missions...
in Star City, Russia
Star City, Russia
Star City is a common name of an area in Moscow Oblast, Russia, which has since the 1960s been home to the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center...
.
NASA experience
In June 2004, Yamazaki arrived at the Johnson Space CenterLyndon B. Johnson Space Center
The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight training, research and flight control. The center consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres in Houston, Texas, USA...
in Houston, Texas to begin Astronaut Candidate Training school. She is currently assigned to the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch.
In November 2008, JAXA announced that Yamazaki would become the second Japanese woman to fly in space on STS-131
STS-131
STS-131 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station . launched on 5 April 2010 at 6:22 am from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A, and landed at 9:08 am on 20 April 2010 on runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility...
, scheduled to launch in 2010.
On April 5, 2010 Yamazaki entered space on the shuttle Discovery as part of mission STS-131. She returned to Earth on April 20, 2010.
Yamazaki retired from JAXA as at August 31 2011.
Personal life
Yamazaki is married to Taichi YamazakiTaichi Yamazaki
is a space engineer, and spouse of Japanese astronaut Naoko Yamazaki.-Biography:He has had an interest in spacecraft since junior school and in middle school was moved by the experience of seeing the Space Travel Section of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C...
and has two children. She enjoys scuba diving, snow skiing, flying and music.
In 2007, Yamazaki provided the voice as herself in episode 7 of the anime Rocket Girls
Rocket Girls
is a light novel written by Hōsuke Nojiri. Set in the Solomon Islands, it follows the exploits of high-school girl Yukari Morita, who is pressed into service as an astronaut by the Solomon Space Association when it is unable to build a rocket that can lift the weight of an adult male.Rocket Girls...
.
Yamazaki is a part time researcher at the University of Tokyo since December 2010.