Chiaki MukaiStatus: Retired 5/6/1952 – Nationality: Japanese Type: Government First Flight: 7/8/1994 Last Flight: 10/29/1998Chiaki Mukai (向井 千秋 Mukai Chiaki, born May 6, 1952, Tatebayashi, Gunma, Japan) is a Japanese doctor and JAXA astronaut. She was the first Japanese woman in space, and was the first Japanese citizen to have two spaceflights. Both were Space Shuttle missions; her first was STS-65 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1994, which was a Spacelab mission. Her second spaceflight was STS-95 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998. In total she has spent 23 days in space.LaunchesSpace Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 | STS-65Space Shuttle Discovery / OV-103 | STS-95Japan Aerospace Exploration AgencyType: Government Abbreviation: JAXA Administration: Administrator: Hiroshi Yamakawa Founded: 2003 Launchers: H-IICountry: JPNThe Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is Japan’s national aero-space agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on 1 October 2003. JAXA is responsible for research, technology development and the launch of satellites into orbit, and is involved in many more advanced missions, such as asteroid exploration and possible manned exploration of the Moon. JAXA launch their Epsilon vehicle from the Uchinoura Space Center and their H-II vehicles from the Tanegashima Space Center.