Naoko Yamazaki

Naoko Yamazaki (山崎 直子 Yamazaki Naoko) (born December 27, 1970) is a JAXA astronaut, and the second Japanese woman to qualify as an astronaut. The first was Chiaki Mukai. After graduating from Ochanomizu University Senior High School in 1989, Yamazaki received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Tokyo University in 1993, and a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1996. Yamazaki was selected as an astronau... more

Naoko Yamazaki (山崎 直子 Yamazaki Naoko) (born December 27, 1970) is a JAXA astronaut, and the second Japanese woman to qualify as an astronaut. The first was Chiaki Mukai. After graduating from Ochanomizu University Senior High School in 1989, Yamazaki received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Tokyo University in 1993, and a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1996. Yamazaki was selected as an astronaut candidate in February 1999 by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA, now JAXA), attended the ISS 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 June of 2004, Yamazaki... less