Roles of H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)
The H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) is an unmanned inter-orbital cargo transporter to the International Space Station (ISS), which is flying at an altitude of about 400 km above the Earth. It delivers up to six tons of food, clothes, and various experiment devices to the ISS, then is reloaded with used devices and clothes to be burned when it reenters the atmosphere.
The KOUNOTORI has been renovated and improved every time it is launched. The third KOUNOTORI this time adopted a domestic-made propulsion system and communication equipment using Japan’s cutting-edge technology.
HTV Components
HTV3 Flight Schedule
HTV3 Mission Summary (Updated June 1, 2012) *All times are Japan Standard Time (JST)| Item | Details and Plans | |
|---|---|---|
| HTV Flight Name | KOUNOTORI3 (The third HTV flight: HTV3) | |
| Launch Date and Time (scheduled) | 11:18 a.m., July 21, 2012 | |
| Launch Site | Launch Pad2 (LP2), Tanegashima Space Center (TNSC) | |
| Berthing to the ISS (scheduled) | 3:30a.m., July 28, 2012 | |
| Separation from the ISS (scheduled) | August 27, 2012 | |
| Reentry (scheduled) | August 28, 2012 | |
| Altitude | Insertion Orbit: 200 km x 300 km (elliptical orbit) Rendezvous: Approx. 400km |
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