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Japan's cargo craft leaves ISS

Xinhua, September 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

Japan's unmanned cargo transfer spacecraft that delivered supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) has left the ISS, announced the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Tuesday.

Captured by the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), the H-2 Transfer Vehicle "KOUNOTORI5" (HTV5) "was moved to the releasing point below the station and released into orbit at 1:53 a.m. Sept. 29 (1653 GMT, Sept. 28)," said JAXA in a release.

Launched by JAXA on Aug. 19 and with a delivery of a total of 5. 5 metric tons of cargo to the ISS, KOUNOTORI5 was unberthed by the ISS robotic arm at 8:12 p.m. (1112 GMT) on Monday.

"KOUNOTORI5 will perform three deorbit maneuvers and is scheduled to reenter into the atmosphere at 5:33 a.m., Sept. 30 ( 2033 GMT, Sept. 29)," said JAXA.

Developed and built in Japan, the HTV5 known as "KOUNOTORI ( white stork)" is an unmanned cargo transfer spacecraft that delivers supplies to the ISS. The can-shaped vessel has a length of 9.8 meters and diameter of about 4.4 meters. HTV delivers not only necessary daily commodities for the crew astronauts, but also experimental devices, samples, spare parts and other necessary research items to the ISS in orbit at an altitude of about 400 km and return with spent equipment, used clothing and other waste material.

Currently, Japan, the United States and Russia operate cargo transfers to the ISS.

"Among the supply vehicles, KOUNOTORI serves as the backbone of ISS operations with its world-leading supply capacity of approximate 6 metric tons, and is the only space liner capable of delivering large items of hardware," said JAXA. Endi