Japan Launches a New Cargo Spacecraft to ISS for the First Time (space.com) 10
"Japan's new HTV-X cargo spacecraft launched on its first-ever mission to the International Space Station on Saturday," reports Space.com:
The robotic HTV-X lifted off atop an H3 rocket from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT and 9 a.m local Japan time on October 26). It is expected to arrive at the station for its capture and berthing on Wednesday (Oct. 29) at about 11:50 a.m. EDT (1550 GMT)...
The HTV-X's potential uses also extend beyond the ISS, according to JAXA. The agency envisions it aiding "post-ISS human space activities in low Earth orbit" as well as possibly flying cargo to Gateway, the space station NASA may build in lunar orbit as part of its Artemis program.
HTV-X's debut increases the stable of ISS cargo craft by one-third. The currently operational freighters are Russia's Progress vehicle and Cygnus and Dragon, spacecraft built by the American companies Northrop Grumman and SpaceX, respectively. Only Dragon is reusable; the others (including HTV-X) are designed to burn up in Earth's atmosphere when their missions are over.
The HTV-X's potential uses also extend beyond the ISS, according to JAXA. The agency envisions it aiding "post-ISS human space activities in low Earth orbit" as well as possibly flying cargo to Gateway, the space station NASA may build in lunar orbit as part of its Artemis program.
HTV-X's debut increases the stable of ISS cargo craft by one-third. The currently operational freighters are Russia's Progress vehicle and Cygnus and Dragon, spacecraft built by the American companies Northrop Grumman and SpaceX, respectively. Only Dragon is reusable; the others (including HTV-X) are designed to burn up in Earth's atmosphere when their missions are over.
Re:Just in time for ISS to de-orbit (Score:5, Insightful)
I have doubts on the value of international collaborations in space exploration.
You mean Hubble or James Webb or Cassini, etc weren't enough to convince you?
Then nothing will.
Nice to see this example of cooperation (Score:2)
Because you can't expect any country to have the full infrastructure like a space station to start with.
When the world is indeed serious about space travel all should have a chance to contribute according to their available tech.
BTW, the Japanese drive on the other side of the road (not the right side)...
We'll see (Score:2)
As we saw with Boeing, getting there is easy, coming BACK is the real test.
Re: (Score:2)
As we saw with Boeing, getting there is easy, coming BACK is the real test.
This is a cargo shuttle. When it's finished delivering stuff, it gets filled with trash, then deorbited to burn up in the atmosphere. Burning up isn't much of a test - physics will take care of most of it. About the only test is making sure the deorbit burn happens at the right time and duration, so that it burns up in the designated area.
The only craft with any significant "down-mass" capability is Dragon. Soyuz and (hahahaha) Dreamliner are pretty limited, because they mostly carry humans. Sierra'
Re: (Score:2)
You're right, Boeing has never delivered cargo, so no problems whatsoever.
Also, Japan HAS had failures.
The Japanese pallet of old ISS batteries that was released after an HTV mission re-entered later than expected and did not fully burn. About half a ton of metal fragments survived and one piece punched through the roof of a house in Florida.
Robotic? (Score:2)
And all other spacrafts of 2020s are what...manual?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Indeed: "unmanned".
not the first NTV mission (Score:4, Insightful)
Japan had launched several of these cargo missions since the shuttle stopped flying. Nice to have diverse cargo vehicles capable of supplying the station.