Japanese supply rocket lifts off, bound for International Space Station
A Japanese rocket carrying supplies for the International Space Station has successfully lifted off from a remote island.
The unmanned rocket is carrying nearly six tonnes of food, water, clothing and experimental equipment to the astronauts in orbit in the space station. The rocket is also carrying cargo for Nasa.
After docking with the space station, dropping off its cargo and being loaded up with waste material, the rocket’s transfer vehicle, named Kounotori2, will be detached and burn itself up upon re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. Kounotori means white stork in Japanese.
Applause broke out at the control centre on Tanegashima Island as officials announced that the launch phase was a success. Tracking was switched to a centre in Guam as the vehicle moved rapidly away from Japan.
Kounotori2 is expected to reach the space station on January 27.
Jaxa, Japan’s space agency, hopes the project will help it build expertise for similar low-cost ferrying missions and push forward manned flights of Japan’s own.
Cargo missions for the International Space Station have become more important now that the US has scaled back its ability to launch supplies.
Since 2009, the station has been manned by six astronauts, but keeping them fed and supplied has become a bigger challenge because of the retirement of the US space shuttles.
Nasa is linking up with commercial companies to launch future cargo expeditions.
Jaxa officials said they are studying the possibility of reconfiguring the Kounotori vehicle – which is about the size of a large passenger bus – for manned flights.
Japan sent cargo on its first unmanned carrier to the international station in 2009.
