posted 11-11-2010 07:08 PM               

"KOUNOTORI" Chosen as Nickname of the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)

JAXA conducted a nickname campaign for the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), a cargo transporter to the International Space Station (ISS), between August 27 and September 30, 2010, to familiarize people with the HTV.

Among many suggestions, the following nickname was selected.

1. Selection result: The chosen nickname is "Kounotori" meaning "white stork"

2. Reason for selection:
   A white stork carries an image of conveying an important thing (a baby, happiness, and other joyful things); therefore, it precisely expresses the HTV's mission to transport essential materials to the ISS.

3. Received application:
   Total: 17,236 (Among them, acceptable applications totaled 17,026, and those who proposed "Kounotori" was 217.)

   JAXA will send a certificate and a commemorative gift to all godparents of "Kounotori." The winner of the trip to the Tanegashima Space Center to see off the Kounotori launch has been announced on the website of the ISS Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo"

posted 11-11-2010 07:13 PM               

Launch of the H-II Transfer Vehicle 2 (HTV2) Aboard the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 2

JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. would like to announce that the launch of the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 2 (H-IIB F2) with the H-II Transfer Vehicle 2 (HTV-2, a cargo transporter to the International Space Station) was reported to the Space Activities Commission (SAC) as follows.

• Scheduled date of launch:
  January 20 (Thursday), 2010 (Japan Standard Time, JST)

• Launch time: Around 3:29 p.m. (JST)*

• Launch windows: January 21 (Fri.) through February 28 (Mon.), 2011 (JST)**

• Launch Site: Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the Tanegashima Space Center

* Time will be determined by the updated orbit of the International Space Station

** The launch day and time during the launch windows shall be decided by the international coordination for ISS operations.

posted 01-19-2011 03:12 AM               

Launch Postponement of H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 2 with Kounotori2 (HTV2) Onboard

The launch of the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 2 (H-IIB F2) with the Kounotori2 (HTV2, a cargo transporter to the International Space Station) onboard has been rescheduled as clouds including a freezing layer that exceeds the restrictions for suitable weather are forecast to be generated at around the scheduled launch time on Jan. 20, 2011.

The new launch day will be no earlier than Jan. 22, 2011 (Japan Standard Time, JST).

The launch was originally scheduled for 3:29:19 p.m. on Jan. 20 (JST, 12:29:19 a.m. CST) from the Tanegashima Space Center.

The new launch day and time will be announced as soon as decided.

posted 01-22-2011 08:26 AM               

Launch Result of H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 2 with Kounotori2 (HTV2) Onboard

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No.2 (H-IIB F2) with the Kounotori2 (HTV2, a cargo transfer vehicle to the International Space Station) onboard at 2:37:57 p.m. on Jan. 22, 2011 (Japan Standard Time) from the Tanegashima Space Center.

The launch vehicle flew smoothly, and, at about 15 minutes and 13 seconds after liftoff, the separation of the Kounotori2 was confirmed.

We would like to express our profound appreciation for the cooperation and support of all related personnel and organizations that helped contribute to the successful launch of the H-IIB F2.

At the time of the launch, the weather was clear, a wind speed was 8.3 meters/second from the north-west and the temperature was 10.6 degrees Celsius.

posted 01-27-2011 05:51 AM               

That being said, JAXA's press and promotional materials for HTV-2/Kountori-2 have retroactively referred to the first craft as Kounotori-1, as in this video.

posted 01-27-2011 05:55 AM               

Kounotori2 (HTV2) arrives at the space station

The unpiloted Japanese Kounotori2 H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV2) arrived at the International Space Station Thursday and was grappled using the International Space Station's robotic arm, Canadarm2, at 5:41 a.m. EST.

Expedition 26 flight engineers Cady Coleman and Paolo Nespoli used the station’s robotic arm to grab the cargo craft and begin its move to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module. Berthing of HTV2 to the Harmony module is scheduled to take place at about 9 a.m.

posted 01-27-2011 09:09 AM               

Kounotori2 (HTV2) attached to space station

Expedition 26 Flight Engineers Cady Coleman and Paolo Nespoli used the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm to attach the unpiloted Japanese Kounotori2 H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV2) to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module of the International Space Station at 8:51 a.m. CST.

posted 01-28-2011 08:53 AM               

Credit: ESA/NASA

MCC-Houston: "Station, you have a GO for grapple!"

Credit: ESA/NASA

Station: "Grapple completed, Kounotori is grappled!"

Credit: ESA/NASA

Paolo Nespoli, Cady Coleman and Scott Kelly checking out their crew care packages that arrived with HTV-2.

posted 02-19-2011 06:06 AM               

Relocation of Kounotori2 complete

Using the International Space Station's robotic arm, Expedition 26 flight engineers Paolo Nespoli and Catherine Coleman completed the relocation of the Japanese Kounotori2 H-II Transfer Vehicle at 10:56 a.m. CST Friday, Feb. 18.

Commander Scott Kelly, stationed at a laptop computer, ordered the latches tightened at the Harmony module's space-facing docking port confirming second stage capture of Kounotori2.

The JAXA-provided Kounotori2, which arrived at the station Jan. 27, was relocated from the Harmony module's Earth-facing port to its space-facing port to provide the clearance needed for space shuttle Discovery to dock during the STS-133 mission to the station later this month.

The cargo ship will be moved back to the Harmony module's Earth-facing port after Discovery undocks at the completion of the STS-133 mission. The final relocation is currently scheduled for March 7, but is dependent on Discovery's launch and undocking dates.

posted 03-11-2011 09:03 AM               

Station crew relocates Kounotori2

Positioned in the International Space Station's Cupola, Expedition 26 flight engineers Paolo Nespoli and Cady Coleman used the station's robotic arm to complete the relocation of the Japanese Kounotori2 H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) Thursday (March 10).

Credit: ESA/NASA

Once the move was completed, Nespoli and commander Scott Kelly performed vestibule pressurization and outfitting procedures to ready it for ingress.

Kounotori2, which arrived at the station Jan. 27, was relocated back to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module after being placed on the space-facing side of the module prior to space shuttle Discovery's arrival. The move was made to provide Discovery with the clearance needed to dock during the STS-133 mission.

The Japanese cargo craft is currently scheduled to undock from the station March 28 for a destructive re-entry in the Earth's atmosphere.

posted 03-23-2011 08:14 AM               

HTV2's Departure time from the ISS and re-entry time to the atmosphere

Departure time from the ISS and re-entry time to the atmosphere of the H-II Transfer Vehicle "Kounotori2" (HTV2) are set as follows.

• [Departure from the ISS]
  Day: March 29, 2011
  Time: around 12:45 a.m. (JST)
  (around 10:45 a.m. CDT March 28)

• [Re-entry to the atmosphere]
  Day: March 30, 2011
  Time: around 10:00 p.m. (JST)
  (around 8:00 a.m. CDT March 30)

posted 03-28-2011 09:55 AM               

Origami cranes to become "shooting stars" on HTV

The Expedition 27 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) held a hatch closing ceremony for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) H-II Transfer Vehicle-2 (HTV-2) "Kounotori2" on March 27, during which Dmitri Kondratyev, Paolo Nespoli and Cady Coleman revealed three origami cranes that they packed onboard the unmanned resupply vehicle.

"These are our extraterrestrial cranes, a symbol of hope, put into HTV for all Japanese people," said the crew. "We are with you!"

Creating the folded-paper cranes has become a symbol on Earth — and now in space — of support for Japan in the wake of the March 11 massive earthquake and tsunami that claimed thousands of lives.

"The cranes will fly back to Earth with HTV and magically become shooting stars. Hope is our future!" said the station crew members.

HTV-2 was named "Kounotori," which translates to "white stork," as its mission is to carry important and special deliveries to the station.

Credit: ESA/NASA

posted 03-28-2011 10:57 AM               

HTV Kounotori2 released from space station

Expedition 27 flight engineers Paolo Nespoli and Cady Coleman used the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm to unberth the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's H-II Transfer Vehicle-2 (HTV-2) "Kounotori2" from the Earth-facing port of the Harmony node at 8:45 a.m. CDT on Monday, March 28.

They released the arm's grapple on the resupply craft at 10:46 a.m. CDT, beginning its return to Earth.

"We had Kounotori aboard the station after its successful capture for about two months now," radioed Coleman from the station. "It brought an amazing amount of supplies that were very much needed here on the space station. Also important, it is bringing some of our packing material and things we just can't afford to have on the station, its bringing those away."

"So today marks the end of what I think was a very, very productive time for the Japanese supply module Kounotori and an excellent, excellent demonstration of robotics in space," she said.

From its berthing to unberth, Kounotori2 spent a total of 59 days, 22 hours and 38 minutes at the space station.

HTV-2's destructive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere is scheduled for Tuesday night.

posted 03-30-2011 07:08 AM               

Successful Reentry of HTV2

The H-II Transfer Vehicle "Kounotori2" (HTV2) successfully reentered the atmosphere after the third deorbit maneuver at 11:44 a.m. on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 (JST).

The HTV2 successfully accomplished the main objective of shipping cargo to the International Space Station, and completed all of its missions over 67 days with today's reentry.

The estimated times for re-entry and water landing are as follows: (Times are in JST)

• Estimated reentry time*: around 12:09 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
  
• Estimated water landing time: between 12:21 and 12:41 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30, 2011

*Altitude at 120 km