Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Takao Doi!

Takao Doi, born September 18, 1954 in Tokyo, Japan, is a veteran of two Space Shuttle flights.

His first flight was aboard Columbia (STS-87) as mission specialist in November-December 1997.  During the mission he conducted two EVAs with fellow astronaut Winston Scott, becoming the first Japanese astronaut to conduct a spacewalk.

His second flight was aboard Endeavour (STS-123) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in March 2008.  The mission delivered the first module of the Japanese Experiment Module.

Discovery (STS-124) launched 2008

STS-124 crew (L-R): Gregory Chamitoff, Michael Fossum, Kenneth Ham, Mark Kelly, Karen Nyberg, Ronald Garan and Akihiko Hoshide

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-124), launched May 31, 2008, delivered the Japanese Experiment Module called Kibo to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Kenneth Ham, Karen Nyberg, Ronald Garan, Michael Fossum, Akihiko Hoshide (JAXA) and Gregory Chamitoff.

The crew also delivered replacement parts for a malfunctioning toilet on the ISS.

They returned to Earth on June 14.