Chiaki Mukai, MD, PhD, is a Japanese physician and astronaut. In 1977, Mukai graduated from Keiō University School of Medicine in Tokyo and worked as a surgical resident. She earned a doctorate in physiology in 1988 and was board certified as a cardiovascular surgeon in 1989. Selected by Japan’s National Space Development Agency (now part of JAXA), Mukai became the first Japanese woman in space in 1994 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. She later flew a second mission in 1998, conducting experiments on how microgravity affects the human body, including cardiovascular function and fluid shifts. Her research has helped advance space medicine and long-duration human spaceflight. In addition to being the first Asian woman in space, Mukai is the first Japanese citizen to have two spaceflights, and spent a total of 566 hours in space. Among her many awards are the French Legion of Honour award for her contributions to the Japan-France aeronautical relationship.
