Kounotori Successfully Launched to Deliver Supplies to ISS

Tanegashima, Kagoshima Pref., Aug. 19 (Jiji Press)--An H-2B rocket carrying the Kounotori 5 unmanned resupply vehicle was successfully launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, at 8:50 p.m. (11:50 a.m. GMT) on Wednesday. Kounotori 5 was separated from the H-2B Launch Vehicle No. 5 and entered orbit above the South Pacific 15 minutes after the liftoff. With the resupply vehicle set to approach the International Space Station on Monday night, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, currently staying in the ISS, will control a robot arm to capture it, in collaboration with ground staff led by Koichi Wakata, another Japanese astronaut. The vehicle will deliver 5.5 tons of supplies, including water, food, experimental equipment and other items, to the ISS. The launch of Kounotori 5 was initially scheduled for Sunday but was postponed twice, due to weather conditions. END