KOUNOTORI3 Completes First Height Adjustment Maneuver
Last Updated: July 26, 2012
KOUNOTORI3 performed its first Height Adjustment Maneuver (HAM1) at 2:01 a.m., July 26, 2012.
Next height adjustment maneuver is scheduled to begin at 11:35 a.m., July 27, 2012.
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Update: 27.07.2012
The unmanned, school bus-size H-2 Transfer Vehicle-3 (HTV-3), also called Kounotori 3 ("White Stork" in Japanese), flew to about 40 feet (12 meters) away from the ISS, where it was grabbed at 8:23 a.m. ET (1223 GMT) by the space station's 58-foot long (18 m) robotic arm, which was controlled from inside by astronauts Joe Acaba of NASA and Aki Hoshide of JAXA (the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency).
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| The HTV-3 cargo ship, moments before capture by the International Space Station's robot arm. (Photo: NASA TV) |
"HTV capture is complete," Hoshide called down after the spacecraft was grappled at 8:23 a.m. EDT (GMT-4). "Congratulations to all the teams in Houston and (Japan)."
Spectacular video from the station showed the bus-size HTV suspended against the black backdrop of space as the two spacecraft sailed 253 miles above the southern Indian Ocean.
"Congratulations on a great capture. We'd like to welcome Kounotori aboard," astronaut Catherine Coleman replied from Houston, referring to the cargo craft's Japanese nickname -- "white stork."
After carefully aligning the HTV's forward hatch with Harmony's Earth-facing port, a gang of motorized bolts were driven home to lock the spacecraft in place by 10:34 a.m. Hatches were scheduled to be opened Saturday, but the astronauts were running ahead of schedule and they had the option of entering the craft earlier if time allowed.
Developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, as a contribution to the space station program, the HTV is designed to carry both pressurized and unpressurized cargo, including equipment too big to pass through the space station's hatches.
Making the program's third flight, the HTV is loaded with 3.9 tons of pressurized cargo, including a research aquarium, five small "CubeSat" satellites and their launcher, a catalytic reactor for the station's water processing system and a water pump. Also on board: Japanese food, beverages and crew clothing.
The HTV is carrying another 1.2 tons of gear in its unpressurized section, including experimental NASA communications hardware and instruments and sensors that will be mounted outside the Japanese Kibo lab module.
The flight plan calls for the cargo ship to remain in place until Sept. 6.
Spectacular video from the station showed the bus-size HTV suspended against the black backdrop of space as the two spacecraft sailed 253 miles above the southern Indian Ocean.
"Congratulations on a great capture. We'd like to welcome Kounotori aboard," astronaut Catherine Coleman replied from Houston, referring to the cargo craft's Japanese nickname -- "white stork."
After carefully aligning the HTV's forward hatch with Harmony's Earth-facing port, a gang of motorized bolts were driven home to lock the spacecraft in place by 10:34 a.m. Hatches were scheduled to be opened Saturday, but the astronauts were running ahead of schedule and they had the option of entering the craft earlier if time allowed.
Developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, as a contribution to the space station program, the HTV is designed to carry both pressurized and unpressurized cargo, including equipment too big to pass through the space station's hatches.
Making the program's third flight, the HTV is loaded with 3.9 tons of pressurized cargo, including a research aquarium, five small "CubeSat" satellites and their launcher, a catalytic reactor for the station's water processing system and a water pump. Also on board: Japanese food, beverages and crew clothing.
The HTV is carrying another 1.2 tons of gear in its unpressurized section, including experimental NASA communications hardware and instruments and sensors that will be mounted outside the Japanese Kibo lab module.
The flight plan calls for the cargo ship to remain in place until Sept. 6.
Update: 28.07.2012 / 22.30 MESZ
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KOUNOTORI3's berthing operations began. The Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) will attach KOUNOTORI3 to a Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) at the nadir port of Harmony (Node2).
The berthing operations will be completed when the CBM between KOUNOTORI and Harmony is fastened with CBM bolts, and all the electrical lines and communications cables between the two modules are connected.
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The Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) between KOUNOTORI3 and Harmony was fastened with bolts at 0:22 a.m., July 28.
The ISS crew members will open the hatch of the Harmony nadir port to perform electrical and communications cable connections (vestibule outfitting).
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