(11/19/1997) --- STS-87 Mission Specialist Takao Doi, Ph.D., of the National Space Development Agency of Japan, gives a ‘thumbs up’ in his launch and entry suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. He and the five other crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Shuttle Columbia awaits liftoff on a 16-day mission to perform microgravity and solar research. Dr. Doi is scheduled to perform an extravehicular activity spacewalk with Mission Specialist Winston Scott during STS-87