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H-II Transfer Vehicle KOUNOTORI (HTV)
HTV5 mission logo
HTV5 Mission
Developed and built in Japan, the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) known as "KOUNOTORI (white stork)" is an unmanned cargo transfer spacecraft that delivers supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).
Japan, the U.S., and Russia currently operate cargo transfers to the ISS. Among the supply vehicles, KOUNOTORI serves as the backbone of ISS operations with its world-leading supply capacity of approx. 6 metric tons, and is the only space liner capable of delivering large items of hardware.
Given its consistent on-time arrivals ever since the launch of the first technology demonstration mission, KOUNOTORI is widely acknowledged to be a safe and reliable vehicle, for which the world has high expectations regarding its operations.
Detailed pages:
News
KOUNOTORI5 Mission Completed （September 30, 2015）
KOUNOTORI5 (HTV5) reentered Earth's atmosphere at 5:33 a.m., September 30 (8:33 p.m., September 29 UTC).
KOUNOTORI5 Leaves the ISS （September 29, 2015）
KOUNOTORI5 (HTV5) was unberthed from the nadir port of Harmony (node 2) by the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) at 8:12 p.m., September 28 (11:12 a.m., September 28 UTC).
The hatch of KOUNOTORI5 was closed （September 28, 2015）
The KOUNOTORI5's hatch closure was confirmed at around 0:29 a.m., September 28 (3:29 p.m., September 27 UTC).
Flight Schedule
| Item | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Launch date and time | 8:50:49 p.m., August 19, 2015 | |
| Launch window | Aug. 17 (Mon.) - Sept. 30 (Wed.), 2015 | |
| Launch site | Yoshinobu Launch Complex, Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC) | |
| HTV5 capture | 7:29 p.m., August 24, 2015 | |
| Berthing completion to the ISS (Activation of the HTV DDCU) | 2:28 a.m., August 25, 2015 | |
| Departure from the ISS | 1:53 a.m., September 29, 2015 | |
| Reentry |
5:33a.m., September 30, 2015 | |
| Altitude | Insertion Orbit: 200 km x 300 km (elliptical orbit) Rendezvous: Approx. 400km |
|
| Inclination | 51.7 degrees | |
All photo credits in the HTV webpages are JAXA unless otherwise noted.
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