Japan Launches a New Cargo Spacecraft to ISS for the First Time (space.com)
(Sunday October 26, 2025 @12:34PM (EditorDavid)
from the up-up-and-away dept.)
- Reference: 0179874740
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/10/26/0450217/japan-launches-a-new-cargo-spacecraft-to-iss-for-the-first-time
- Source link: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/watch-japans-advanced-new-cargo-spacecraft-launch-to-the-iss-for-the-1st-time-today
"Japan's new HTV-X cargo spacecraft launched on its first-ever mission to the International Space Station on Saturday," [1]reports Space.com :
> The [2]robotic HTV-X lifted off atop an [3]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, [4]according to JAXA . The agency envisions it aiding "post-ISS human space activities in low Earth orbit" as well as possibly flying cargo to [5]Gateway , the space station NASA may build in lunar orbit as part of its [6]Artemis program .
>
> HTV-X's debut increases the stable of ISS cargo craft by one-third. The currently operational freighters are Russia's [7]Progress vehicle and [8]Cygnus and Dragon, spacecraft built by the American companies Northrop Grumman and [9]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.
[1] https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/watch-japans-advanced-new-cargo-spacecraft-launch-to-the-iss-for-the-1st-time-today
[2] https://www.mhi.com/products/space/htv_x.html
[3] https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/japan-launching-military-communications-satellite-early-nov-4-on-4th-flight-of-h3-rocket
[4] https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/en/htv-x/mission/#section01
[5] https://www.space.com/lunar-gateway-view-3D-moon-orbit
[6] https://www.space.com/artemis-program.html
[7] https://www.space.com/32645-progress-spacecraft.html
[8] https://www.space.com/cygnus-spacecraft.html
[9] https://www.space.com/18853-spacex.html
> The [2]robotic HTV-X lifted off atop an [3]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, [4]according to JAXA . The agency envisions it aiding "post-ISS human space activities in low Earth orbit" as well as possibly flying cargo to [5]Gateway , the space station NASA may build in lunar orbit as part of its [6]Artemis program .
>
> HTV-X's debut increases the stable of ISS cargo craft by one-third. The currently operational freighters are Russia's [7]Progress vehicle and [8]Cygnus and Dragon, spacecraft built by the American companies Northrop Grumman and [9]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.
[1] https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/watch-japans-advanced-new-cargo-spacecraft-launch-to-the-iss-for-the-1st-time-today
[2] https://www.mhi.com/products/space/htv_x.html
[3] https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/japan-launching-military-communications-satellite-early-nov-4-on-4th-flight-of-h3-rocket
[4] https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/en/htv-x/mission/#section01
[5] https://www.space.com/lunar-gateway-view-3D-moon-orbit
[6] https://www.space.com/artemis-program.html
[7] https://www.space.com/32645-progress-spacecraft.html
[8] https://www.space.com/cygnus-spacecraft.html
[9] https://www.space.com/18853-spacex.html
Nice to see this example of cooperation (Score:2)
by Teun ( 17872 )
Nice to see this example of international cooperation.
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)...
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.