Discovery

Discovery - Good understanding between two photographers?

some14some, LOL!

Three super-intelligent women here.

This photo would have been a lot better without the other photographer in it.

Kudos to JT for posting a pic-o'-the-day of some women with brains for a change! You may not guess it from the pic but Ms. Wilson, Harvard alum, is 43!

The average age of an astronaut is 40 something!!! You obviously have to be extremely fit to be an astronaut, therefor looking young for your age.

My cousin was part of the space shuttle program, highly educated, years and years of training- his mission got bumped after the challenger explosion and he never got the opportunity to fly. I'd like to see Commander Roger B. get his shot in space- at age 46 he deserves the chance to realize the dream he worked a lifetime for ! Ms. Yamazaki needs to prod Japan- her own country- into funding and developing it's own high tech space program.

branded, too bad yr guy missed their chance that happens to EVERYBODY sometime(s) in life suck it up & move on I bet yr guy did, I believe the saying is "life isnt always fair"

Branded

Ms. Yamazaki needs to prod Japan- her own country- into funding and developing it's own high tech space program.

ummmm . . . have you not heard of JAXA - Japan's own high tech space programme? Admittedly they are not manned (womanned) flights.

http://www.jaxa.jp/about/index_e.html

"branded, too bad yr guy missed their chance that happens to EVERYBODY sometime(s)"

No argument from me- but my original question remains- What is so special about Yamazaki ? Like I've stated- highly trained individuals from the US are out there waiting for their shot at space- why does this woman from Japan, like so many others from Japan, get to the head of the line before so many others- any insight out there ?

Moderator: Please do not attempt to turn this discussion into a rant against Ms Yamazaki or Japan. Japanese astronauts have been part of the U.S. space program for many years, as you very well know.

Amazing, Beautiful, highly intelligent women...Love the pic!!

branded

in case you didnt know while NASA/US fund/do the lions share it is an international space program going on & yeah if the US wants the $$$$ they are going to have to put a few people into space ahead of others for marketing reasons, like I said life aint fair never will be, I bet there are tons of spacemen/women from all countries involved who have missed THEIR chance, in fact I wud bet most of them missed their chances, pretty hard gig to get ya know!

Having said that I wud hope all that make the trip are qualified......but none of us can answer that one

I'm guessing she speaks excellent English, as that is essentially the language of the space programme. You don't do more than six years of intense astronaut training at NASA by speaking Japanese junior high school English.

Her bio:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/yamazaki-n.html

Branded....wow aren't you pissed your fella got bumped!!!! Is he still in the space program? Maybe he will get another shot!! But lets not dish other peoples success when it comes to achieving their lifelong dream. If anyone should be pissed it should be your cousin for getting bumped but for some even getting into the space program would be a lifelong dream come true.

Moderator: Readers, no further discussion on Branded's cousin please.

Love the pics. Probably one of the best I have seen on JT. Congratulations to Yamazaki. She is a role model to many as a working mother and wife. I wish her and all the others a safe journey into and from space.

This picture reminds me of a poster for diversity in the work place.

Hey who left the toilet seat up again! I would love to be "lost in space" with that trio flying through a wormhole at warp speed.

An ethnically balanced picture. Warms my heart, but shouldn't there be a latina in there too?

I applaud her achievements, it is not easy to become an astronaut. However, I wonder if a person from a hard working immigrant family in Japan has the opportunity like Ms. Yamazaki? If there were, that truly would be diversity.

Great picture of three beautiful and very intelligent women and something for girls around the world to look up to and aspire to. Inspirational.

Branded, I know everyone is jumping all over you, but seriously, you really are the poster child for international under-rating of JAXA.

I think JAXA might now be the most reasonable space program in the world. I am very optimistic about what their missions and methods are going to produce for humankind in the future. Suffice it to say that what NASA and the Soviets did with human grit, Japan is doing with robots and miniaturization. You know, the usual pattern. If you can make a satellite or planetary probe the size of your fist, you sure as heck don't need Titan Boosters, which neither the Soviets nor the Americans ever figured out. I believe that the Indians and Chinese are also rushing headlong toward the "manned space flight" dead end, but the ESA has wised up.

But that is not all. Japan has been doing Waaaay more than its share on the international space station, and has been doing it consistently while everyone else has "consistently waffled."

So... Japan is not slacking.

"Branded, I know everyone is jumping all over you, but seriously, you really are the poster child for international under-rating of JAXA."

really ? I thought I just asked a simple question- what makes Naoko Yamazaki so unique ? So far all I've seen here is,

"Congratulations to Yamazaki. She is a role model"

OK- why ?

"Warms my heart"

Because ?

"I applaud her achievements"

Which are ?

"beautiful and very intelligent"

For example ?

"Inspirational"

In what way ?

5speedracer5, I appreciate the background on JAXA- but this is a NASA project and without it there would be no "International space station". I don't know whether Japan is slacking or not. But I do know that there are many other deserving Americans out there biting at the bit for their shot at the shuttle. I have opened the door for someone to jump in and promote Ms. Yamazaki here- instead we are being corraled into the "aint she pretty" bland comments like I've highlighted. I'm out !

Congrats to all three, space travel is not limited to Americans alone!

Also agree, it's good to see something other than cute and clueless!

To answer the above questions, Yamazaki is a role model because, unlike the majority of women in this country, she is extremely well educated and has succeeded on an international level in one of the most competitive fields. Her achievements include obtaining undergrad/grad degrees Aerospace Engineering from the University of Tokyo and training both in Japan and in the US and qualifying to fly a spaceship. "Beautiful and very intelligent": see pic and this post. "Inspirational, In what way?" Umm, take a look at 99% of the women in JT's pics of the day and you will see that most of them are not exactly of this woman's caliber. Clearly if you are a girl in this country, Yamazaki is a good example of someone who has proven you can do a lot more than hawk a product or chat with a salary man while pouring him whiskey or studying an English Lit in college.

Nice change from the usual airheads. Going to be an especially interesting flight.

Life is beautiful. Thanks JT. I have been saying right along, there are some very special jladies and I am surprised at the amount of hard work they put into what they are doing.

But I do know that there are many other deserving Americans out there biting at the bit for their shot at the shuttle.

Then they're delusional. The shuttle program is all but finished.

no man on the flight? poor them... But seriously, did they choose them on DNA (racia principle)?

"Hey dude, move! I'm trying to take a picture here!!"

To answer the above questions, Yamazaki is a role model because, unlike the majority of women in this country, she is extremely well educated and has succeeded on an international level in one of the most competitive fields.

Yeah, that is why she doesn't live in Japan.

Well, they are at better role models for women than the maids at the maid caffees in Akihabara.

Congrats to all three, space travel is not limited to Americans alone!

Last I checked there was very lax Visa requirements for any country to send its citizens into space,,,

Does anyone even know if the other two women are yanks for all we know they cud be from a lot of other countries, wudnt that tick ole branded, who I am thinking if any genes are shared with his guy maybe he just astronaut material

just wasntd astronaut material, just like me LOL

Don't be fooled by NASA's sudden diversity in space. The space shuttle Discovery has exactly two missions remaining before it (and the entire space shuttle fleet) is permanently discontinued in September. The Space Shuttle Program has been around for almost 30 years and this is probably the first time NASA has launched this diverse a crew (by gender, ethnicity and nationality). I'm sure they're sending a very capable crew into space, but I can't help wondering whether or not this is a deliberate matchup for PR purposes. A little late if you ask me.

Why is it always black, white, or oriental? How about next time, let there be an Indian, a Hispanic, and an Arab?

ok branded I went & checked you`ll be relieved to know the other two women are from the US hurray for you! And for them!

I am willing to bet they are both well qualified & believe Wilson has already made the trip once so she clearly is!

Again horray for branded, yr guy better be hitting the books etc if he plans to knock one of these women off a flight down the road!

How about next time, let there be an Indian, a Hispanic, and an Arab?

Then they'd all be the same color. Where's the diversity in that?

Definitely nice to see pics of women like her on here instead of smiling, vapid talentless zombies who are only asked such in depth questions such as "How about your love life?", etc.

Good on all of them! Great to see a pic with THREE women heading into space! (I don't usually get to read about the space missions, so if this is not the first time there were three women heading into space, please excuse my ignorance of such previous missions).

And yes, Ms. Yamazaki should definitely be applauded! Not easy being from Japan, female and rising so high. Pretty rare for J-women! Definite role model for a lot of young girls here!

let there be an Indian, a Hispanic, and an Arab

Sounds like the start of an un-PC joke.

Three very capable (dare I say, obviously talented?) and photogenic ladies. I wish them all the best, but rather them than me. I don't even like getting on an ordinary aeroplane unless I have to. Up into space? No way.

I think Naoko Yamazaki is an excellent role model for young Japanese girls. To have a family and a career in a very chauvinistic country like Japan is a wonderful achievement. You go girl!!!!