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Japanese HTV returns to Earth in a ball of fire
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After an approximately 52 day long mission, the Japanese HTV was sent flying into the earth’s atmosphere to burn up in the early hours of November 2nd (JST). The first flight of Japan’s unmanned space transportation vehicle has been viewed as a complete success from start to finish.
The HTV (H-II Transfer Vehicle) was launched from southern Japan by JAXA (Japan’s aerospace program) just after 2am on September 11th aboard a modified H-II rocket. On September 18th, after a week of successful test flight maneuvers, the HTV was grabbed and connected to the International Space Station.
The HTV had carried approximately 4.5 tons of supplies and experiments for the ISS crew to use. After the contents were emptied, it was filled with approximately 1.6 tons of trash, according to the Yomiuri. On October 31st, the ISS released the HTV to start its slow decent into the Earth’s atmosphere.
At about 6:26 am on November 2nd, the HTV reached the atmosphere - about 120 kilometers (75 miles) above the Earth’s surface. Over the next few minutes it burned up as it returned earth, following JAXA’s flight projections. Any remaining pieces are believed to have landed in the southern Pacific Ocean.
JAXA has six more launches planned between now and 2015, at a pace of about one per year. The HTV is seen as an important step for helping the ISS continues its international mission as the NASA looks to discontinue the use of the Space Shuttle, which has the primary means of transporting supplies up until now.
HTV project manager Yoshihiko Torano commented to reporters about the mission, “It was above a 100% success.” Flight Director Kouji Yamanaka said, “I hope we can now advance to developing capsules and other such equipment that are capable of returning to Earth without disintegrating.”
Related Articles: Japan's H-IIB rocket and HTV and the ISS
Read more news from Japan by the Japan Headlines Examiner
(JAXA's HTV being disconnected from the ISS)
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