spacetoday.net: H-2B launches HTV cargo spacecraft

H-2B launches HTV cargo spacecraft

Posted: Sun, May 24, 2020, 10:53 AM ET (1453 GMT)
H-2B launch of HTV-9 spacecraft (JAXA)

Japan launched a cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station Wednesday. An H-2B rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 1:31 am EDT (1731 GMT, 2:31 am local time Thursday) and placed the HTV-9 cargo spacecraft into orbit 15 minutes later. The spacecraft, carrying several tons of equipment and supplies, will arrive at the station on Monday. The launch is the last for the H-2B, a variant of the H-2 specifically designed for the HTV, and for this initial version of the HTV spacecraft itself. Future cargo missions will use a new spacecraft, the HTV-X, launching on the H3 rocket.