Naming a lunar orbiter at age 11

Ms. Konaka has yet to leave Earth, but she left her mark on space as early as elementary school. When the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) held a contest to choose a name for the lunar orbiter launched in 2007, she was one of the entrants who suggested "Kaguya," the name of the moon princess in the classic Japanese story known as the "Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." Ms. Konaka was just 11 years old at the time, and her thoughts and research have been directed skyward ever since.

"I was interested in space as a child, because my mother used to take me to the planetarium and the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. But when they asked me in nursery school what I wanted to become when I grew up, I didn’t have anything particular in mind, so I gave the kind of normal answer I knew everyone was expecting. For a while, I kept wondering what I could be. Then, I found something that I wanted to do in life when the space shuttle Discovery launched with astronaut Soichi Noguchi on board. The TV stations showed the launch over and over, and that was where I recognized the word ‘astronaut’ and became aware that it was a real job. Then came Kaguya, and I started to seriously consider going to space one day."

Ms. Konaka believes in visualizing goals as a road map and turning ambitions into reality instead of letting them fade. Once she decided to become an astronaut, she thought about how she might be able to achieve this and took immediate action.

"I emailed JAXA and asked, ‘I have allergies—can I still become an astronaut? If so, how?’ They sent me a reply saying that technology was advancing, so allergies would not be a problem in the future, and suggested that I work on my communication skills for the time being. By the time I began looking into realistic options for getting into space, I learned that—unlike today—you need a STEM background to become an astronaut, so I decided to pursue that first."

How I see the world changed over two realizations

Ms. Konaka was so passionate about space that getting into a STEM field felt like a matter of life and death. She threw herself into her studies with fierce determination and successfully passed the entrance exam for the engineering department at a national university. During her student days, academic and extramural experiences turned her worldview upside-down.

"I studied aerospace engineering at university, but soon came to realize that engineering in general is a fascinating field. Everything we see around us is based on calculations made by engineers. For example, the calculations that went into this desk ensure that it will hold up even if someone sits on it rather than placing their things on top. I’m always thinking about the materials and calculations employed in the things I encounter in everyday life."

Another experience that changed Ms. Konaka’s way of seeing the world was collaborating as part of a team.

"I joined a team to build a human-powered airplane for the annual Birdman Rally and worked with others in the lab to build a satellite, and this helped me realize how much fun it is to develop technology as part of a team. Technical development can’t be done alone—you have to divide up tasks by specialization and work in concert to achieve a shared goal. I feel that these experiences shaped my approach at my current job, where I try to have fun with my team no matter the task."

Optical communication from space will change life on Earth

Full-scale mock-up of the nanosatellite OPTIMAL-1
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Ms. Konaka studied abroad during her university and graduate school years, then worked in the public sector in both Japan and France before joining Mitsubishi Electric in 2023. What is her main focus today?

"I’m working on optical communication in outer space. Optical communication could make satellite transmissions more than ten times faster than they are with today’s radio waves. Just as fiber-optic home internet connections make it easier to watch videos, optical communication will allow rapid, high-volume data transfer between satellites and the Earth’s surface."

Ms. Konaka, a fluent English speaker, explains her project at the Mitsubishi Electric booth at CES2024, one of the world’s largest tech events

When Ms. Konaka joined Mitsubishi Electric, she was surprised by the sheer scale of the company. Despite working all over the world, she had never experienced anything like it before.

"Mitsubishi Electric is the first private company I’ve worked for, and I was struck by the differences in speed and budget. It feels alive and exciting. Development and projects progress at an incredible pace. Mitsubishi Electric is even involved in the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) project, which means we’re influencing not only the Japanese space industry but the whole world. That’s simply amazing."

Above and beyond "Give it a try"

Step by step, Ms. Konaka has made her grade-school dreams of work in the space industry a reality. Perhaps surprisingly, however, she does not see herself as the slow-and-steady type.

"I tend to aim for bold leaps rather than steady progress. My motto has always been ‘Jump in and give it a try,’ but recently I’ve been wondering if I should add something to that. It’s true that going straight ahead is one way to achieve your goal, but I’ve started to realize that it’s okay to take detours, too, or even for your goal to change. There’s a saying in the English-speaking world: ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.’ I take it to mean that if you strive for great heights, you’ll find yourself in unexpected and wonderful places."

When astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface, he said, "That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." What kind of steps does Ms. Konaka take day by day? Her answer to this question touched on the sense of accomplishment her work brings.

"The optical design process involves cycles of simulation and observation—in other words, it’s always trial and error. That’s why I feel happy when things work out as designed. For example, if the amount of light arriving at a certain point matches what I calculated it would be, I know that my calculations were correct. All physical phenomena can be explained with formulas and calculations in this way. This is an amazing thing, and I’m moved every time I consider it. I don’t ever want to lose that sense of awe and wonder."

It all comes down to people

Ms. Konaka and her team are always talking—and always laughing

Ms. Konaka’s unique range of experiences make her a fascinating individual, but what she values most at work is her team.

"It’s important for teammates to support one another. When I notice that someone needs help, I offer it—and when I need help myself, they return the favor. In the end, it’s all about people. When I was studying in the U.S. and trying to decide which of the many available research projects I should work on, my professor told me, ‘Choose the people, not the project.’ At the time, I didn’t understand what that meant, because I still believed that if you were focused on what you wanted to do, other people were irrelevant. Later, though, once I’d experienced working with different teams, I realized that people are indeed the most important factor."

Even ambitious space projects are ultimately all about people—it sounds like a cosmic truth. So, where are Ms. Konaka and her teammates headed?

"Like many other companies around the world, we’re working hard to make optical communication in space a reality. People take GPS and map apps for granted today, but satellite communication is such an important field that it revolutionizes life on the ground. And if humans are going to live on the moon, they’ll need optical communication to stay connected. That makes this a field that could change the course of society in the future."

To be somebody’s role model—and leave a splash of color in people’s hearts

Ms. Konaka says that she planned out her life to the age of 60 while still in college. The course of her life has taken many unexpected twists and turns since then, but what kind of future is she currently aiming for?

"I‘d like to be a role model, especially for women. I also hope to influence people in some way, including people that I never even met, by showing them that there’s always another way to live. I used to say that I wanted to make a vibrant, positive impression on people, painting their hearts with color even if I only met them once or passed them on the street."

Whatever challenges come her way, Ms. Konaka keeps her head high. Her gaze rests on the goal she has had since she was a small child: outer space.

"For me, space is somewhere I haven’t yet been but am constantly imagining myself in. When I see astronauts these days, my immediate reaction is more envy than admiration! [laughs] I still want to go to space one day, and for that purpose, too, I wish to understand optical communication better. I’d also like to see more technologies that I worked on launched into space, and as an engineer I’d be delighted if these contribute to making some changes in the world. Although, to be honest, I’d rather go to space and use those technologies myself!"

INTERVIEWEE

Mitsubishi Electric Information Technology R&D CenterMina Konaka

After graduate school, worked for public institutions in Japan and France before joining Mitsubishi Electric in 2023. Decided to become an astronaut after being among those who suggested "Kaguya" as the name for the lunar orbiter JAXA launched in 2007. Loves the sea as well as space and has a mountain of things she wants to do in life