The launcher for Japanese cargo flights to the space station.
H-IIB is developed to carry the HTV cargo spacecraft, also called Kounotori, toward the ISS. It launches supplies and equipment; neither this rocket nor these cargo vehicles carries a crew at launch.
The first flight takes place in September 2009. It combines the launcher's demonstration with that of a vehicle able to approach the station and be captured by its robotic arm.
The series supports nine resupply missions through 2020. Astronauts unload the cargo aboard the ISS, but they arrive at the station using other vehicles.
Selected representative missions; crew names belong to the flight shown.
The first H-IIB launch tests the HTV cargo vehicle with nobody aboard.
The final cargo flight in this series launches on 21 May in Japan, or 20 May UTC.
Dates follow the days reported by the source agencies, generally in local time; the UTC day can differ. Crews belong to the selected missions, not every flight in the family.
It illustrates Japan's logistical contribution to the operation of an international space station.
First flight or first test of the family, including unsuccessful or suborbital attempts.
