Japan Launches Advanced Cargo Spacecraft to Supply International Space Station

Japan has successfully launched its next-generation unmanned cargo spacecraft, HTV-X, aboard an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center, marking a major milestone in the nation’s space logistics program.

Developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the HTV-X boasts a maximum payload capacity of six tons—1.5 times that of its predecessor, the Kounotori, which completed nine ISS resupply missions between 2009 and 2020.

The spacecraft is set to reach the International Space Station on Thursday, where it will remain docked for six months before performing a three-month orbital mission to conduct advanced technology demonstration tests.

Originally scheduled for launch last Tuesday, the mission was delayed due to adverse weather conditions. The HTV-X introduces new power supply capabilities, allowing it to transport experimental samples requiring low-temperature storage.

The upgraded H3 launch vehicle, fitted with two main engines and four boosters, is designed to carry multiple satellites in future missions, reflecting Japan’s ambition to strengthen its role in global space transportation and exploration.