The Japanese cargo spacecraft HTV-8 (Kounotori-8 – White Stork-8) successfully launched from the space center on Tanegashima Island to the International Space Station. This was reported by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) on Tuesday, September 24.

The launch of the ship took place at 01:05 on September 25, Japanese time using the H-IIB carrier rocket manufactured by MHI.

The Japanese “truck” will deliver more than five tons of cargo to the ISS, including food, six new lithium-ion batteries for the station’s solar batteries, as well as equipment and materials for conducting dozens of scientific studies.

The docking of the Japanese cargo ship with the ISS, scheduled for September 28, will be carried out by capturing it with the automatic arm of the Canadarm-2 station and then bringing it to the docking station of the American Harmony module.

As part of the ISS, the Japanese “truck” should spend about a month.

https://youtu.be/pt0zriHGvoY

Recall that the initial launch of the HTV-8 to the ISS was planned on September 11. However, at the last moment before the start, it was canceled due to a fire on the launch pad. Ignition occurred near a gas outlet in the deck of a mobile launcher.