Japan launched its first cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) early yesterday, aiming for a share of space transport after the retirement of the US space shuttle fleet next year.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the unmanned H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) atop an H-IIB rocket, which is also on its first flight, as scheduled just after 2am, agency images showed.
The HTV was separated from the H-IIB, as planned, about 15 minutes after the launch.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The rocket blasted off from the Tanegashima Space Center on a southern Japanese island, with the HTV carrying 4 tonnes of supplies, including food and daily necessities, for the six ISS crew, as well as experiment materials.
Later this month, in an unprecedented attempt, astronauts will operate a Canadian robotic arm at the ISS to grab the HTV and dock it as the vehicle approaches the station.
The 10m-long cylindrical vehicle, which cost ¥20 billion (US$217 million) will deliver the supplies, load waste materials and return to Earth, burning up as it reenters the atmosphere.
Japan has spent ¥68 billion developing the vehicle, which is designed to be modified in future to carry humans. It currently has no spacecraft that can send man into space.
JAXA plans to launch one HTV every year until 2015.
The HTV can carry up to 5.4 tonnes of supplies to the ISS, compared with 6.8 tonnes for the Automated Transfer Vehicle developed by the European Space Agency and 2.3 tonnes for Russia’s Progress spacecraft, the Japanese agency said.
The H-IIB is also a new rocket for Japan, developed by JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
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