Astronaut Mukai touches down

When Japanese Astronaut Chiaki Mukai boarded the Space Shuttle, she gazed down the earth and wondered when she would have the chance to visit a tropical island in Micronesia one day.

Well, her wish was finally granted. Mukai, a heart surgeon, arrived on the island yesterday to become the keynote speaker in a nursing convention and a high school graduation. She was accompanied by National Science Development Agency Director Hideshi Kozawa.

In welcoming Mukai, who will stay here for three-days, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio said the astronaut’s visit will forever be remembered by the local people because her accomplishments will serve as an inspiration to the youth. The governor even presented Mukai a symbolic key to the island during a short program at the Saipan International Airport.

In her speech, Mukai said she is very excited to visit a tropical island, meet the local people and students. Since she has already the key to the island, Mukai said she will definitely comeback to have a vacation. She was warmly received by Japanese children and students from Hopwood High School who waited for her arrival at around 3:00 PM.

Mukai became the first woman Japanese astronaut in space when she flew aboard STS-65 on July 8, 1994. She joined the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-95) which was launched on October 29, making her the first Japanese to go to outer space twice. The seven-man Space Shuttle Discovery included the oldest astronaut Sen. John Glenn, who helped in the science experiment on the aging process.

A Japanese girl curiously asked: “Do you have a toilet in the Space Shuttle?” Mukai, who was only too eager to answer any question explained that there’s a “vacuum like force” that helps one carry out toilet habits. However, there is no bathroom so astronauts only take a sponge bath during the whole time that they are in space.

And what is Mukai’s word of advice to someone who wish of becoming an astronaut one day?

Said Mukai: “In becoming an astronaut, team work is very important that’s why you should work well with your friends. But most of all, you should first ask yourself what is it that you really like? Also, you must have a dream — what is it that you want to be when you grow up?”

In her next trip to outer space, Tenorio has only one request for Mukai: “We hope you can find the time to wave at us when you are out there.”

CNMI Resident Representative to Washington Juan N. Babauta arranged the astronaut’s visit here so that she can share her experiences in the American Pacific Nursing Council Conference with the theme multi-cultural medicine.

The Marianas Visitors Authority, which sponsored the trip, made sure that Mukai will be able to have a tour of the island, taste the local food, meet the local people including members of the Legislature.