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Chiaki Mukai (向井千秋
Mukai Chiaki, born May 6, 1952) (M.D., Ph.D.) is a
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency|JAXA astronaut
(Payload Specialist).

Chiaki Mukai, nee Naito, was born in Tatebayashi,
Gunma Prefecture, Japan. She is married to Makio
Mukai, M.D., Ph.D. Her recreational interests
include snow skiing, Alpine skiing|Alpine
competitive skiing, Bass (fish)|bass
Fishing|fishing, Scuba diving|scuba diving,
Tennis|tennis, Golf|golf, Photography|photography,
Literature of the United States|American
Literature, and Tourism|traveling.

Mukai graduated from Keio Girls' High School in
Tokyo, in 1971. She received her doctorate in
Medicine|medicine, Keio University School of
Medicine, 1977; a doctorate in
Physiology|physiology, Keio University School of
Medicine, 1988; board certified as a Circulatory
system|cardiovascular Surgery|surgeon, Japan
Surgical Society, 1989.

Mukai is a member of these organizations: The
American Aerospace Medical Association; Japan
Society of Microgravity Applications; Japan
Society of Aerospace and Environmental Medicine;
Japanese Society for Cardiovascular and Thoracic
Surgery; Japan Surgical Society.

The special honors that Mukai has received include
these: Outstanding Service Award - The Society of
Japanese people|Japanese Women Scientists (1996),
Special Congressional Recognition - U.S. Congress
(1995), Happy Hands Award - Satte Junior Chamber
of Commerce (1995), Aeromedical Association of
Korea Honorary Membership (1995), Tatebayashi
Children’s Science Exploratorium Honorary
President (1995), Prime Minister’s Special
Citation for Contributions to Gender Equality
(1995), The De La Vaux Medal - The Federation
Aeronautique Internationale(1995), The Award for
Distinguished Service in Advancement of Space
Biology - Japanese Society for Biological Sciences
in Space (1995), Prime Minister’s Special
Citation (1994), Minister of State for Science and
Technology’s Commendation (1994 & 1992), People
of Gunma Prefecture’s Certificate of
Appreciation (1994), Honorary Citizen of
Tatebayashi City (1994), Outstanding Service Award
- National Space Development Agency of Japan (1994
& 1992), Award for Distinguished Accomplishments -
Tokyo Women’s Foundation ( 1994) and
Commendation for Technology - Japan Society of
Aeronautical and Space Science ( 1993).

Dr. Mukai is credited with approximately sixty
publications since 1979.

From 1977 through 1978, Dr. Mukai, board-certified
for medicine in 1977, worked as a Resident in
General Surgery, Keio University Hospital, Tokyo.
She was on the Medical Staff in General Surgery,
Shizuoka, Shizuoka|Shimizu General Hospital,
Shizuoka prefecture|Shizuoka Prefecture in 1978,
and on the Medical Staff in Emergency Surgery,
Saiseikai Kanagawa Hospital, Kanagawa
prefecture|Kanagawa Prefecture in 1979. Dr. Mukai
began her work as a Resident in Cardiovascular
Surgery, Keio University Hospital in 1980 and
served on the Medical Staff in Cardiovascular
Surgery, Saiseikai Utsunomiya, Tochigi|Utsunomiya
Hospital, Tochigi prefecture|Tochigi Prefecture in
1982. She returned to Keio University Hospital in
1983 as the Chief Resident in Cardiovascular
Surgery, and was later promoted to Assistant
Professor of the Department of Cardiovascular
Surgery, Keio University.

As a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency|JAXA
science astronaut, she was a visiting scientist at
the Division of Cardiovascular Physiology, Space
Biomedical Research Institute, Lyndon B. Johnson
Space Center|NASA Johnson Space Center, from 1987
to 1988. Dr. Mukai has remained a Research
Instructor of the Department of Surgery, Baylor
College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, since 1992.
From 1992 to 1998 she was a visiting associate
professor of the Department of Surgery, Keio
University School of Medicine, Tokyo, and in 1999
was promoted to a visiting professor of the
university. (Effective October 1, 2003, NASDA
merged with ISAS (Institute of Space & Astronautic
Science) and NAL (National Aerospace Laboratory of
Japan) and was renamed JAXA (Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency).)

In 1985, Dr. Mukai was selected as one of three
Japanese Payload Specialist candidates for the
First Material Processing Test (Spacelab-J) which
flew aboard STS-47. She also served as a back-up
payload specialist for the Neurolab (STS-90)
mission. Dr. Mukai has logged over 566 hours in
space. She flew aboard STS-65 in 1994 and STS-95
in 1998. She is the first Japanese woman to fly in
space, and the first Japanese astronaut to fly
twice. Dr. Mukai was assigned the deputy mission
scientist for STS-107. In that capacity she
coordinated science operations for this science
mission.


== SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: ==
STS-65 Space Shuttle Columbia|Columbia (July 8-23,
1994) was the second International Microgravity
Laboratory (IML-2) flight. The mission consisted
of 82 investigations of Space Life Science (Human
Physiology, Space Biology, Radiation Biology, and
Bioprocessing) and Microgravity Science (Material
Science, Fluid Science and Research on the
Microgravity Environment and Countermeasures).
IML-2 was also designated as an extended duration
orbit mission focusing on medical experiments
related to the cardiovascular system, Autonomic
nervous system|autonomic nerve system, and
Bone|bone and Muscle|muscle Metabolism|metabolism.
The mission was accomplished in 236 orbits of the
Earth, traveling over 6.1 million Mile|miles in
353 hours and 55 minutes.

STS-95 Space Shuttle Discovery|Discovery (October
29 to November 7, 1998) was a 9-day mission during
which the crew supported a variety of research
payloads including deployment of the Spartan
solar-observing spacecraft, the Hubble Space
Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, and
investigations on space flight and the
Senescence|aging process. The mission was
accomplished in 134 Earth orbits, traveling 3.6
million miles in 213 hours and 44 minutes.

This article is adapted from the following source:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/PS/mukai.html

NASA