Overview
- The H3-24W variant lifted off from Tanegashima after weather delays at 8 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 25.
- HTV-X1 separated about 14 minutes after liftoff, deployed solar arrays minutes later, and is in its target orbit.
- Rendezvous is planned for Oct. 29 with capture by Canadarm2, operated by JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, for berthing to the Harmony module.
- The spacecraft is delivering about 4.5 tons of hardware, experiments and supplies, including six cubesats to be deployed from the Kibo module.
- The new design adds roughly 60% more pressurized volume, higher power and refrigeration, and the mission includes up to six months at the station followed by about three months of technology demonstrations before reentry.