A Japanese payload carrier is finally set to launch for the International Space Station today.
Originally intended to be launched back in 2014, the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) is an unmanned resupply vehicle that will launch from Japan. It will carry supplies and equipment to the astronauts aboard the ISS as part of JAXA’s (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) contributions to the ISS.
The carrier is the fifth Japanese HTV launched and will carry 5.7 tons of cargo to the ISS, including 4.7 tons of pressurized cargo and a ton of unpressurized cargo such as water, food, equipment, science experiments and crew commodities, according to NasaSpaceFlight.com.
The payload carrier is now set to launch from Tanegashima Space Center in Southern Japan on the 19th August at 11:50.49 GMT (07:50.49 EDT; 20:50.49 JST), and should arrive at the ISS on August 24th.
The spacecraft has arrived at the launch pad and final preperations are being made, you can watch the launch live on NASA TV below.
Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream
