Chiaki Mukai
- STS -65 ( 1994)
- STS -95 ( 1998)
Chiaki Mukai (向 井 千秋jap, Mukai Chiaki, born May 6, 1952 in Tatebayashi, Japan ) is a Japanese astronaut. She was born as Chiaki Naito (内藤 千秋, Chiaki Naito ).
Training
Mukai received her degree in 1971 in the Keio Girls High School in Mita, Minato, then she studied at Keio University, graduating in 1977 with the promotion of this study and received his doctorate there in 1988 just physiology. From 1977 to 1985 she worked at various Japanese hospitals as a doctor.
JAXA
In 1985, she was selected as the first woman as a Japanese astronaut. It has been designed as a payload specialist at the Johnson Space Center from 1987 to 1989. In addition, she was one of three Japanese candidates for the mission STS -47, she was an alternate payload specialist for STS- 90 and deputy mission specialist on STS- 107.
STS -65
Your first and longest spaceflight experienced Mukai on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1994.
This mission was once again the on board Spacelab. This contained various experiments for the study of microgravity on metal melting and living organisms. On the German side there was to the experimental facilities Tempus ( Non-contact furnace ) and NIZEMI ( low-speed centrifuge microscope) which served in a wide variety of organisms ( cress seeds, slime molds, paramecium ) to determine the point, respond to which these organisms to gravity. There was also a measuring system to measure even the smallest gravitational fluctuations as well as an aquarium with fish.
STS -95
Your date last space flight she made in 1998 with the discovery, again in the function as a payload specialist.
The mission was dedicated to astronomical and atmospheric research. For example, the satellite 201 SPARTAN was exposed for several days. With his physical conditions and processes were explored that take place in the solar corona and have an impact on the solar wind.
The flight was commanded by Curtis Brown and a second payload specialist outside it was NASA legend John Glenn at the age of 77 years on board. John Glenn took in his old age participated in this flight, to carry out various experiments with Mukai, which should explore the effects of weightlessness on the elderly.
Summary
Private
She is married to Makio Mukai. Her hobbies include scuba diving, skiing, American literature, fishing, golf, photography, traveling and tennis.