Unmanned space transport ship "Kotonotori" The final launch was successful at 21:50 on May 21.
The final launch of Kounotori, the Japanese unmanned space carrier that carries goods to the International Space Station, was launched at Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Kounotori was launched before 3:00 am on the 21st. Was separated as planned and the launch was successful.
The H2B rocket carrying Japan's unmanned space transport ship "Konotori" No. 9 was launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 2:31 am on the 21st, rising while separating the auxiliary engine and the first stage. I continued.
At about 2:46 am, about 15 minutes after the launch, the stork was separated at an altitude of more than 280 km as planned, and the launch was successful.
The Kounotori is a cylindrical spacecraft with a total length of 10 meters and a diameter of 4.4 meters, developed by JAXA = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to carry materials to the International Space Station orbiting the earth at an altitude of 400 km. Did.
We can carry more than 6 tons of material, which is the maximum transportation capacity to the International Space Station, but we will finish operation with Unit 9 this time.
The Kounotori started operating 11 years ago in 2009, and has successfully launched all nine aircraft from the first to this time, and will deliver approximately 50 tons of supplies to the International Space Station.
JAXA will develop the "HTV-X" as a successor to the "Kotonotori" and launch it within the next fiscal year to carry supplies to the International Space Station, and a space station that orbits the moon where construction is planned in the future. We are also planning to bring supplies to the “gateway”.
After being separated from the rocket, Kounotori No. 9 will be raised to an altitude of around 400 km and will arrive at the International Space Station on the 25th of this month.