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?aking Good Use of the International Space Station? Chiaki Mukai JAXA Astronaut
Mr. Ono said that we should sail an ark of dreams because it is becoming more and more difficult to dream here on Earth. I think there are still a lot of opportunities to dream on our planet. I am often asked whether I wanted to become an astronaut when I was a child. In fact, the thought had never occurred to me because the occupation did not exist in Japan when I was a schoolgirl. My dream was to become a doctor and save people who were suffering from diseases. And I did. In this photo (*image 3), I am conducting an operation.

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There are a variety of dreams to pursue on Earth. When I was working as a doctor, one day I found my dream in a newspaper I was reading during a break. I think it was around 1983. It was a small article that said Japan was looking for astronauts. That surprised me. As I kept reading, I learned that Japan was planning to carry out research in space that could not be done on Earth, and that therefore, the country intended to send not a pilot or a military person but a scientist, a doctor or an engineer. I was astonished, because I had thought that only a military person of the Soviet Union or the United States could become an astronaut. But the door to space was now opened to civilians. I remember that I was very moved, thinking, “We’re living in a great time! Twentieth-century science and technology has expanded the range of our activities to the universe.” And I thought about “living and working in space (*image 4).” This is my motto when I work in space. The Earth is part of the universe, which means that where I am working now is also part of space. I always think that the universe is my workplace.
After reading the article, I applied for the job because I aspired to see Earth from space, and I became an astronaut. I have been working as an astronaut now for more than 20 years. There have been good times, but when you have a job, you cannot avoid hardships either. And of course, when you overcome difficulties, they are followed by even bigger dreams.

Now, let me explain the reality of Japan’s manned space flight (*image 5). The main difficulty I have faced is that Japan does not have the means to send someone into space. We always have to depend on another country. So what can a country such as Japan do? I thought about this question over and over. And I came to realize that if we can rely on other countries for travel to space, we can concentrate our efforts on other things, such as maximizing the utilization of the space environment, which could eventually enhance our global competitiveness. I am talking about the utilization of space in terms of culture and science as well.

As far as space development is concerned, I think that we are now in a transition period, and this is very interesting. A transition time, when things are not settled but changing, is a chance to push your dreams forward.
Japan is a participating country in the International Space Station project. This has much greater significance than just simply our experimental equipment being transported into space. When I flew to space, we traveled and conducted our experiments on the U.S. space shuttle. It was similar to a relationship between a landlord and tenant: when you want to put a nail in the wall, you have to think about the landlord. But if you get together with others to purchase a large property, you have the right to make use of the land more freely, since you are a part-owner.
Part of the international space station is Japan’s national property, which means that we can design it as we like without worrying about the “owner.” In that sense, we could say that we now have a stronger voice on an international level. Japan’s space development is experiencing such a transition period.
Also, in the United States, while their space shuttle program is in the process of retirement, they have initiated their next project. If things had gone as planned, it would have been the era of the space station by now, transitioned from that of the space shuttle. But instead, their mind has been set on the moon and Mars. What a nation without a transportation vehicle should do here is to maximize the utilization of the facilities that are in space. As Mr. Ono said earlier, this is a time when we really need dreams and wisdom. The wisdom of many is needed for efficient utilization of the space environment, for our country, for the world, and as a treasure for humankind.
The other thing that should be taken into account is commercialization. I look forward to the coming commercial boom from space utilization. It is not profitable yet, but it is starting gradually in the category of space trips. If more and more people are fascinated by the idea, and start sharing our view, space will be a place of unlimited opportunities and dreams for us.

Dreams are always around us, and space is such a wonderful place for us to be able to stretch our minds. I hope that in the future anyone will have a chance to go to the moon, Mars, and beyond. But for now, I think that we should complete the international space station as a facility that everyone can have access to. So much great effort and wisdom have been spent, and now 16 countries are ready to collaborate on operating the station. I believe that efficient use of the international space station will be a step towards our flying to the moon and Mars.

Matogawa: Thank you very much. I agree with the points Ms. Mukai has made. I also think that Japan could put more stress on domestic space development. The next panelist is the President of JAXA, Dr. Keiji Tachikawa. We would like to learn about your thoughts on space.
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