Space Science Now: Launch of JAXA H-IIB F2 Launch Vehicle #2 with KOUNOTORI 2 HTV-2

H-IIB Launch Vehicle
during test
Image Credit: JAXA

JAXA will broadcast the launch of the H-IIB F2 Launch Vehicle #2 with the KOUNOTORI 2 HTV from Tanegashima, Japan on Thursday January 20, 2011 starting at 2:30 p.m. Japan Standard Time (JST) for one and a half hours. NASA TV will start launch coverage via the JAXA broadcast feed on Jan 20 at 1 a.m. EST with launch scheduled 1:29 a.m. EST

JAXA will broadcast the final approach of the KOUNOTORI 2 HTV-2 to the ISS and capture by the SSRMS on Thursday January 27, 2011 from 7:50 p.m. JST for one hour. NASA TV will broadcast the grapple event on Thursday January 27, 2011 at 6 a.m. EST. The grapple operation on the ISS is scheduled to occur at 6:44 a.m. EDT

JAXA will broadcast the HTV-2 docking with the ISS Thursday January 27, 2011 from 10:30 p.m. JST for one hour. NASA TV will broadcast the Kounotori" HTV-2 Berthing event starting around 9:15 a.m. EDT through about 11:15 a.m. EDT. Berthing is scheduled to begin around 9:15 a.m. EDT

KOUNOTORI means "white stork".

The HTV will slowly approach from the nadir (bottom) side of the ISS (from the direction of Earth), and stop at a designated position, which is approximately 10 meters away. Once it is in position, the HTV will dock with the ISS. Rather than berthing in the traditional way, the HTV will come to a relative stop at a designated point, such described as "capture box" and the space station's robotic arm (SSRMS for Space Station Remote Manipulator System) will grab HTV's Grapple Fixture.