FEATURE: Trailblazing Japanese astronauts inspire kids to reach for stars

When Chiaki Mukai and Naoko Yamazaki, the only Japanese women to have traveled to space, first aspired to become astronauts, their goal seemed like an improbable dream.At the time, no Japanese had been to space. But the two were determined to blaze a trail for a younger generation, driven by an affection for space and a desire to see Earth from orbit.The National Space Development Agency of Japan, predecessor of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, selected the first group of Japanese astronauts including Mukai in 1985, and those pioneers inspired Yamazaki.Now, the two women are encourag…READ FULL ARTICLE