Naoko Yamazaki, the second Japanese female astronaut, captivated me with

her narratives. Her fascination with the cosmos blossomed during her

childhood in Hokkaido, where the star-studded night sky mesmerized her.

She pursued aerospace engineering at Tokyo University and advanced to

the master's course. For her first venture abroad, Naoko spent a year as

an exchange student at the University of Maryland. While working at

JAXA, she bravely applied for the astronaut program and successfully

navigated the selection process alongside two male colleagues. The

gripping account of her rigorous two-year training and exhilarating

15-day space journey is truly inspiring. Naoko's perception of space and

Earth underwent a remarkable transformation, and she aspires to one day

educate children at a school on the Lunar Station!