Overview
- Canadarm2 captured HTV‑X1 at 0:58 JST on October 30 and the vehicle was berthed to the ISS at 20:10 JST, with operations led by JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui.
- The cargo includes fresh food, water, materials for the Kibo module, and JAXA’s Demonstration System for CO₂ Removal for future exploration.
- After unberthing, HTV‑X1 is slated to operate for up to 18 months as a free‑flying platform hosting demonstrations such as H‑SSOD, Mt. FUJI, DELIGHT, and SDX.
- The mission carries infrared sensors for Japan’s Ministry of Defence to evaluate space‑based detection and tracking of a hypersonic glide vehicle.
- Launched on Japan’s H3 rocket in a return‑to‑form flight, the HTV‑X design boosts pressurized cargo capacity by about 25% compared with Kounotori.