Japan's new space transporter docks with the ISS

Supplies for astronauts in Earth orbit from the Far East: The unmanned transporter HTV-X1 has reached the International Space Station (ISS). This is the first mission of the new Japanese spacecraft.

Around 5 p.m. CET on October 29, the spacecraft reached the ISS, as the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced via the microblogging service X. Japanese crew member Kimiya Yui took over the docking maneuver. He performed it using the robotic arm Canadarm2.

The transporter HTV-X1 was launched on October 26 at 1:00 a.m. CET from the Tanegashima Space Center launch site aboard an H3 rocket. It is bringing nearly 4.1 tons of food and other supplies to the ISS. This is the first time in five years that a Japanese supply mission has flown to the station again.

The H-3 Transfer Vehicle, abbreviated HTV-X is 8 meters long and has a diameter of 4.4 meters. The unmanned transporter, built by the Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, can transport nearly 6 tons of payload into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). A good 4 tons fit into the pressurized cabin. In addition, there is a non-pressurized transport module that holds nearly 1.8 tons. The maximum launch weight is around 16 tons.

The last HTV flew in 2020

HTV-X is the successor to the H-2 Transfer Vehicle (HTV), which flew to the ISS nine times between September 2009 and May 2020, including laden with whisky. The new transporter is slightly smaller but can carry the same amount of payload.

Both are expendable spacecraft. This means they do not return to Earth but burn up upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. However, the HTV-X is expected to remain in orbit longer than its predecessor, according to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, up to a year and a half after undocking from the ISS.

JAXA plans at least two more flights of the HTV-X, with two more possible. In the upcoming second mission, the transporter is scheduled to dock with the station automatically.

(wpl)