Japan launches new unmanned cargo spacecraft

Japan on Sunday launched a new unmanned cargo spacecraft aboard an H3 rocket from a space center on a southwestern island to deliver supplies to the International Space Station (ISS), Kyodo News reported.

The HTV-X spacecraft can carry up to six tons of cargo, 1.5 times more than its predecessor, the Kounotori, which supplied the ISS nine times between 2009 and 2020, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

The spacecraft is expected to arrive at the ISS on Thursday, where it will remain attached for six months before conducting orbital technology demonstration tests for an additional three months.

The launch, which took place at the Tanegashima Space Center, had been delayed from its original date last Tuesday due to poor weather conditions.

Equipped with a new power supply function, the HTV-X can transport experimental samples that require low temperatures during transit.

The upgraded H3 rocket now features two main engines and four boosters, an addition of two boosters, to accommodate future missions carrying multiple satellites to meet customer demand.