TANEGASHIMA SPACE CENTER, Japan (JAXA PR) — At 2:52:27 a.m., September 23, 2018, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the H-IIB Launch Vehicle No. 7 (H-IIB F7) which carries aboard the H-II Transfer Vehicle “KOUNOTORI7” (HTV7), the cargo transporter to the International Space Station (ISS), from the JAXA Tanegashima Space Center.
H-IIB F7 flight proceeded nominally. Approximately 14 minutes 59 seconds after launch, as planned, the payload separated from the launch vehicle.
KOUNOTORI7 successfully established three-axis attitude at 03:50 a.m., September 23. KOUNOTORI’s system self-checks are ongoing in preparation for its first phase adjusting maneuver (Phase Maneuver1: PM1).
Major payload to be delivered on board HTV7 is as follows.
Cargo in the Pressurized Logistics Carrier (PLC)
- HTV Small Re-entry Capsule: HSRC
- Utilization/experiment-related items
- Racks
- Express Rack 9B
- Express Rack 10B
- Life Support Rack: LSR (ESA Payload)
- Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG) and LSG Launch support rack
- Cargo for the onboard crew
- Fresh Food
- Crew Provisioning Items
Cargo in the Unpressurized Logistics Carrier (ULC)
- ISS Li-ion battery orbital Replacement Units (ORUs)
MHI and JAXA express sincere appreciation for the support by all.