国際宇宙ステーション(ISS)に物資を運ぶ無人補給船「こうのとり(HTV)」を載せたH2Bロケット4号機が4日午前4時48分、鹿児島県の種子島宇宙センターから打ち上げられた。HTVは約10分後に予定通りの軌道に投入された。H2Bの成功は、2009年の初飛行から4回連続となった。朝日新聞デジタルが伝えた。
共同通信によると、こうのとりは約15分後に予定の軌道でロケットから分離され、打ち上げは成功した。H2Bは4回連続の成功。H2Aロケットと合わせた成功は20回連続となった。
HTVは今回、飛行士の生活物資や日本の実験棟「きぼう」に取り付ける実験試料用の冷蔵庫などを運ぶ。物資を運び出した後には、ISSで不要になった大型機器を載せ、大気圏で機体ごと燃やす新たな廃棄法にも挑む。大気圏への再突入技術を高めれば、地上に帰還できる新型機や、日本独自の有人宇宙飛行につながる技術が得られると期待されている。
こうのとりは、宇宙ステーション補給機(H-II Transfer Vehicle、略称・HTV)の愛称。ISSへ各種装置や衣料・食糧などを輸送する日本の無人宇宙補給機で、高さ9.6メートル、直径4.4メートル、最大積載容量6トン。1995年より同機の開発が始められ、2009年9月11日、技術実証機「HTV1」がH2Bロケットに搭載され打ち上げられた。「こうのとり2号機」は11年1月22日に、「こうのとり3号機」は12年7月21日に種子島宇宙センターで打ち上げられ、いずれも補給任務に成功した。以降も年に1回ほどISSへの補給を行う予定だ。
（コトバンク「こうのとり」より）
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JAXA.JPG(11 of27)
JAXA building and rocket outside Tanegashima space center, Tsukuba | date 05.07.2008 | source | author J. Miers | permission | other_ ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
JAXA Space Station autside(12 of27)
description JAXA Experiment Module | date 2012-10-24 | source | author Polimerek | permission | other_versions Category:Japanese ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
JAXA Soyuz module(13 of27)
description Soyuz module used by JAXA astronaut | date 2012-10-24 | source | author Polimerek | permission | other_versions ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
JAXA Kiriani test satelite(14 of27)
description JAXA Kiriani test satellite | date 2012-10-24 | source | author Polimerek | permission | other_versions Category:Spacecraft ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
JAXA jet engine 2(15 of27)
description JAXA jet proppeler engine II | date 2012-10-24 | source | author Polimerek | permission | other_versions Category:Japanese ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
JAXA Jet engine 1(16 of27)
description JAXA jet proppeler engine I | date 2012-10-24 | source | author Polimerek | permission | other_versions Category:Japanese ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
JAXA version of Sokol spacesuit(17 of27)
description JAXA version of Sokol spacesuit | date 2012-10-24 | source | author Polimerek | permission | other_versions Category:JAXA ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
JAXA Space Station inside 2(18 of27)
description JAXA Experiment Module | date 2012-10-24 | source | author Polimerek | permission | other_versions Category:Japanese ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
JAXA Greenhouse observing satelite(19 of27)
description JAXA Greenhouse observing satellite. | date 2012-10-24 | source | author Polimerek | permission | other_versions ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
Extravehicular Mobility Unit JAXA version(20 of27)
description Extravehicular Mobility Unit - JAXA version | date 2012-10-24 | source | author Polimerek | permission | other_versions ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
ISS-32 HTV-3 berthing 1(21 of27)
(JAXA) H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-3) as it approaches the ... IIB launch vehicle from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan at 10:06 p.m. ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
ISS-32 HTV-3 approaches the International Space Station(22 of27)
Description 1 The unpiloted Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) ... vehicle from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan at 10:06 p.m. ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
HTV-2 Kounotori 2 approaches the ISS 4(23 of27)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched HTV2 aboard an H-IIB rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan at ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
HTV-2 Kounotori 2 approaches the ISS 1(24 of27)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched HTV2 aboard an H-IIB rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan at ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
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The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched HTV2 aboard an H-IIB rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan at ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
HTV-2 Kounotori 2 approaches the ISS 5(26 of27)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched HTV2 aboard an H-IIB rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan at ... (credit:WikiMedia:)
HTV-2 Kounotori 2 approaches the ISS 6(27 of27)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched HTV2 aboard an H-IIB rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan at ... (credit:WikiMedia:)