According to the Japanese Communications Agency, about 9 a.m. local time, the Japanese Aerospace Research and Development Agency (JAXA) launched a new unmanned cargo ship HTV-X from the Seed Island Space Center in the county of Rakhine with a H3 carrier rocket to transport supplies and experimental equipment for the International Space Station.
Data map: New Japanese HTV-X cargo spacecraft, Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. (Vision China)
According to reports, HTV-X is used to replace the HTV "Stork" spacecraft that was successfully launched nine times from 2009 to 2020. It aims to provide supplies for the International Space Station and will also serve as JAXA's on-orbit technology demonstration platform. HTV-X inherits the reliable transportation capabilities of the HTV spacecraft, while significantly reducing costs and improving mission efficiency and flexibility through technological innovation to meet the needs of the later and future space stations of the International Space Station. It has a total length of about 8 meters and a diameter of about 4.4 meters. The width of the solar panels after they are fully unfolded is 18 meters. The HTV-X retains the classic design of pressurized and non-pressurized compartments, but features a modular design for its pressurized cargo compartment section. This means that the spacecraft can be paired with different cargo hold modules to accommodate more diverse mission needs. Although HTV-X is still an unmanned disposable cargo spacecraft, its material carrying capacity has increased from 4 tons of HTV to nearly 6 tons. It has also added a power supply function for carrying materials, which can transport experimental samples that need to be stored at low temperature in freezers.
JAXA originally planned to launch the HTV-X spacecraft on October 21, but postponed it until the 26th due to weather conditions. Kyodo News said that the H3 rocket carrying the spacecraft took off smoothly. The rocket separated from the spacecraft about 14 minutes later. The launch was a success. According to the current plan, the HTV-X spacecraft will approach the International Space Station on the 30th. Japanese astronaut Kameya Iwo, who is currently living on the International Space Station, will operate the robotic arm to complete the docking with the International Space Station.
The core improvement of the HTV-X cargo ship is to greatly optimize its unloading process. After successfully coupling with the International Space Station, the HTV-X will only take 24 hours to complete the transfer of all cargo, while its predecessor HTV spacecraft will take 80 hours. This improvement not only greatly reduces the workload of astronauts, but also means that temperature-sensitive scientific experimental samples and fresh supplies can enter the space station laboratory faster, overall improving mission efficiency and responsiveness.
During the docking period, astronauts will move the materials brought by the spacecraft into the International Space Station, load the waste generated by the space station into the spacecraft, and install a small exposure experimental platform sent by the spacecraft outside the Japanese "Hope" experimental cabin of the space station. It is worth noting that after the International Space Station unloads supplies and experimental devices and loads waste, HTV-X will not directly return to the atmosphere and burn down like the HTV spacecraft, but can be used for up to about one and a half years. Carry out experiments on new technologies while flying in orbit.
Kyodo News said that the HTV-X spacecraft launched this time will release an ultra-small satellite from an altitude of about 500 kilometers above the ground during its three-month orbital flight, and complete on-orbit verification that it can deploy lightweight planar antennas and next-generation space solar cells and other experiments. In addition, according to a report on the Nikkei Asia website in January this year, the Japanese Ministry of Defense also plans to install additional infrared sensors on the HTV-X spacecraft. The report said that during the spacecraft's orbital flight, the Ministry of Defense is expected to launch a target that simulates a hypersonic missile to test whether the infrared sensor mounted on the HTV-X can detect and track the infrared characteristics of the hypersonic missile, and then test the technology of monitoring hypersonic missiles from space.
Kyodo News said that compared to this time where the HTV-X spacecraft is grasped and docked by astronauts on the International Space Station operating a robotic arm, the next step of launching the HTV-X will strive to achieve automatic docking. Reported that with the International Space Station scheduled to retire in 2030, JAXA is preparing for future space missions. In the US-led Artemis lunar exploration program, the HTV-X spacecraft will also play a key role. It is responsible for delivering cargo to the "Gateway" space station orbiting the moon. Automatic docking is the necessary technology for docking with the space station.