Naoko Yamazaki

Naoko Yamazaki is the general manager of Vast, a company focusing on the construction of space stations and defense initiatives. Yamazaki is a Japanese aerospace engineer, former JAXA astronaut, and space policy expert whose career spans engineering, spaceflight, and international collaboration. Yamazaki earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in aerospace engineering from the University of Tokyo.

After joining the National Space Development Agency of Japan, she contributed to the system integration of the Japanese Experiment Module, focusing on failure analysis and the development of operational procedures. In a competitive national selection, Yamazaki was chosen as one of three astronaut candidates from a pool of 864 applicants.

Yamazaki underwent extensive multinational astronaut training, including Soyuz-TMA Flight Engineer training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center in Russia and Astronaut Candidate Training at Johnson Space Center in Houston. She was assigned to the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch and later selected as a NASA mission specialist. Despite delays following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, Yamazaki continued her training and was assigned to the STS-131 mission.

Yamazaki became the second Japanese woman to fly in space and participated in the NASA space shuttle mission STS-131, which marked the first time four women were together on the International Space Station. The mission also set a record as the longest Space Shuttle Discovery mission, lasting more than 15 days. During her time in space, Yamazaki served as a mission specialist, managing cargo transfer and operating the International Space Station's robotic arm. She and Soichi Noguchi became the first Japanese astronauts to be on-orbit simultaneously. With the retirement of the Space Shuttle, Yamazaki was the last Japanese astronaut to fly on the shuttle.

Following her retirement from JAXA, Yamazaki has focused on advocacy, policy, and education in the global space industry. As a member of the EarthShot Prize Council, she promotes the application of space ecosystem knowledge and technology to address environmental issues. Yamazaki co-founded the Space Port Japan Association, supporting the development of spaceports in Japan through collaboration with industry, government, and organizations. She has served as president of Young Astronaut Club Japan and as a visiting professor at Joshibi University of Art and Design, teaching courses on space, humans, and art.

Yamazaki is also an author, with works such as "Naoko Becomes an Astronaut" that share her experiences and encourage interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. She advises the Japanese government on space policy and advocates for STEM education, particularly among young women. Yamazaki serves as an adviser to the Young Astronaut Club and as chairman of the Women in Aerospace program of the Japan Rocket Society. As a speaker, she addresses topics including space exploration, innovation, resilience, and global citizenship, drawing on her technical expertise and experience in international space collaboration.