[Start successful] Where to watch the launch of the HTV-5

Today at 14:50:49 Moscow time, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch the Konotori-5 cargo spacecraft with no people on board from Tanegashima. The fifth unit of the H-II Transfer Vehicle series carries 5.5 tons of payload to supply the International Space Station.

The name of the series of ships "Konotori" (white stork) emphasizes the importance of the delivered cargo - like a bird that brings children, happiness and other important things, the truck supplies the ISS with necessary items. The Konotori orbit is being launched by the H-IIB launch vehicle. This is a two-stage missile developed by Mitsubishi and JAXA. Two LE-7A first stage engines run on liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. They are helped by four solid-fuel accelerator SRB-A3. The second stage is driven by a LE-5B engine on oxygen and hydrogen. Trucks "Konotori" launched in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. All four launches were successful.

The launch, which will take place today, has its own characteristics. Some HTV-5 solar panels have been replaced by KASPER (Kounotori Advanced Space Environment Research) research equipment. Improved loading: now 242 Nazov Cargo Transfer Bag (50.2 × 42.5 × 24.8 cm) is included in the truck instead of 230. The packing volume, which can be changed in the last moments, has been increased from 80 to 92 CTB. According to the plan, “Konotori-5” carries 5.5 tons of cargo: 4.5 in an airtight compartment and 1 ton unpressurized. In June, SpaceX lost its Dragon spacecraft, due to which the ISS did not receive a certain amount of cargo. Due to the accident SpaceX CRS-7, 0.2 tons had to be added to the cargo of the Japanese ship.

In the hermetic compartment are 600 liters of drinking water, food, items for the crew, equipment and scientific experiments. Among the many equipment is the SAFER jetpack, which helps not to sail into open space , and the Fluids Control and Pump Assembly device for handling crew liquid waste. Experiments include cells for mice Mouse Habitat Unit , installation for electrostatic levitation (in the illustration on the left), a multi-purpose cargo cabinet , a platform for carrying out experiments outside the board Exposed Experiment Handrail Attachment Mechanism and others. Also, “Konotori” carries several cubes for shooting the Earth, which will be launched from the ISS, and the CALET telescope to search for dark matter and observe cosmic rays.
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The launch was scheduled for 2014, but was later scheduled for August 16, 2015. On August 14, the start was postponed to August 17, and the 16 start was set for August 19 at 14:50:49 Moscow time . The device will reach the ISS within five days. Then the ship will be attached to the ISS by the Japanese astronaut Kimi Yui. At the end of the work in the truck will lay garbage. The ship will undock from the station, perform a maneuver and burn in dense layers of the atmosphere, and debris will fall over the Pacific Ocean.

Start "stork" will be available on the web.

NASA Channel (all comments and inscriptions in English)
Mirror on Ustream

Updated 2015-08-19 17:40: the launch is successful. Now the ship will perform orbital maneuvers for 5 days to approach the ISS. The following Monday afternoon, the stork will be caught by the Canadian robotic manipulator and docked to the station.


_{Photo of the ship "Konotori-5" , 2015-07-21, JAXA. Illustration of installation Electrostatic Levitation Furnace , JAXA.}