NASA Updates Live Coverage of Japanese Cargo Launch, Delays Spacewalks

The Japanese HTV-6 cargo vehicle is seen during final approach to the International Space Station before it is captured by the remote Canadarm 2. HTV-6 launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan on Friday, Dec. 9, and arrived at the station on Tuesday, Dec. 13. The vehicle was loaded with more than 4.5 tons of supplies, water, spare parts and experiment hardware

Credits: NASA

Delayed due to inclement weather, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) now is targeting 1:52 p.m. EDT Saturday, Sept. 22 (2:52 a.m. Sept. 23 in Japan), for the launch of its unpilotedH-II Transfer Vehicle-7(HTV-7) cargo spacecraft.

Loaded with more than five tons of supplies, spare parts and experiments, HTV-7 will launch to theInternational Space Stationfrom theTanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. Live coverage of the launch will begin at 1:30 p.m. on NASA Television and the agencyswebsite.

NASA also will provide live coverage of the arrival and installation of the spacecraft at the space station Thursday, Sept. 27, beginning at 6:30 a.m. Capture is scheduled for 7:54 a.m. After a break, coverage will resume at 10:30 a.m. with installation of the spacecraft to the space station.

HTV-7spayloadincludes six new lithium-ion batteries and adapter plates to replace aging nickel-hydrogen batteries that make up part of the stations electrical power system. Due to the delay of the HTV-7 launch, NASA is rescheduling two spacewalks to complete the installation of these new batteries and adapter plates, as well as the spacewalk preview media briefing. New times and dates will announced as soon as these activities are rescheduled.