WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

STS-72 Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata dons his launch/entry suit in the Operations and Checkout Building as a flight surgeon from the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) (left) of Japan assists him. Wakata was selected in 1992 by NASDA to become an astronaut and reported that same year to the Johnson Space Center to begin training. STS-72 will be Wakata's first trip into space; he becomes the third Japaneses citizen to fly on the U.S. Shuttle. Wakata and five fellow crew members will soon depart for Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Shuttle Endeavour is undergoing final preparations for liftoff during an approximately 49-minute window opening at about 4:18 am EST, January 11.