Overview
- The H3-24W lifted off from Tanegashima at 8 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 25 after weather delays, with HTV-X1 separating cleanly and deploying its solar arrays.
- HTV-X can carry about six metric tons overall, and this mission is delivering roughly 4.5 tons of station hardware, supplies, experiments, and six cubesats.
- Arrival at the ISS is targeted for Oct. 29, when Canadarm2 will berth the vehicle to the Harmony module with on-station operations led by JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui.
- Upgrades include faster ground loading (about 24 hours versus roughly 80 hours), greater pressurized volume and power from deployable arrays, and refrigeration for fresh food.
- After departure, HTV-X1 will spend about three months on technology demonstrations before a planned destructive reentry, as JAXA readies at least three HTV-X flights and studies a Gateway variant.