Space Shuttle has been orbiting the earth in the second half of its flight.
Crew members were awaken by a Japanese song in honor of Payload Specialist
Chiaki Mukai.
In response to the call of "Ohayou Discovery (in Japanese)" from
the ground, Chiaki called back as "Ohayougozaimasu (in Japanese)"
At 2:55p.m.she received a phone call from Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and
Minister of State for Science and Technology, Yutaka Takeyama. Chiaki mentioned
her thanks to many people that she could have such wonderful opportunity,
and by using her hands she expressed her message "Thank you for your
encouraging messages. My working place is in space." to the people
including those who are disabled to hear.
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Today' Astronaut Mukai |
She conducted the experiment using two toadfishes, plant experiment, operated
high vision camera and performed routine exercises. Tonight she will once
again wear a sleep net and a sleep suit which monitors respiration, eye
movements, muscle tension and so on.
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JapanaseExperiments |
Astronaut Mukai pulled out the fish packages, each of which a toad fish
is located in, from the Vestibular Function Experiment Unit (VFEU), and
gave them a movement manually. This acceleration enables us to see the
change in neural activity where these fish packages are under microgravity
/ acceleration condition.
For plant experiment photographs are being taken.
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News of a competition to complete astronaut Chiaki
Mukai's poem and come up with a pet name for her
teddy bear.JapanaseExperiments |
Early this morning prime minister Keizo Obuchi, head of the Science and
Technology Agency Yutaka Takeyama and astronaut Chiaki Mukai talked together
via a communication link connecting Discovery with the prime minister's
official residence.
During the conversation, Mukai read a poem that she had written describing
her feeling of being in space "Chuugaeri, Nandomo dekiru, Mujuuryoku"
("Weightlessness, Turn Space somersaults as many times as I like').
Taking Chiaki Mukai's poem as the first half of a tanka (the "kami-no-ku"),
we would like you to think up two more lines (the "shimo-no-ku")
to make it complete. (Both lines should have seven syllables, making the
overall rhythm 5-7-5-7-7.) We would also like you to come up with a pet
name for Chiaki Mukai's laboratory assistant - her teddy bear! We eagerly
await your entry.
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Astronaut Mukai holds the
Mascot teddy bear.
Reporters watching VIP call at JSC.
Plant Experiment
Japanese Astronaut Crew Conference |
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