With an aspiration to engage in an international space project, Saori Watanabe entered ICU in April 2014 to study both science and English. She wrote a senior thesis in astronomy and graduated in 2018. Then she joined JAXA to become a flight controller. At JAXA, she worked as a flight controller (CANSEI) in charge of electricity and communication systems for about a year. The subsequent training led to her current position as a certified flight director (J-FLIGHT), who heads the flight controller team. She was involved in the long-duration stay of JAXA astronaut FURUKAWA Satoshi at the International Space Station (ISS). She supported him in many aspects, covering everything from training on the ground and the liftoff to health management, environmental management, and various experiments on the ISS. She now plays a key role in Japan's space development.

Interview: November 2023