Japan’s “Kounotori” resupply ship is installed to the Harmony module. (Photo : NASA TV)
An unmanned cargo re-supply spacecraft just arrived at the International Space Station that was maneuvered by astronaut Kimiya Yui using a robotic arm where he docked the spacecraft successfully that made him the first Japanese to accomplish this feat.
Yui expressed his thanks by stating that he successfully captured it firmly, thanks to all of you, addressing the team at mission control where the arm latched onto the spacecraft on August 24, Monday from the orbiting space laboratory. He adds that, at this moment, he feels like he can twinkle like a first magnitude star.
The cargo re-supply vehicle was launched from the Tanegashima Space Center located in Kagoshima Prefecture on August 19 where the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kounotori 5 cargo craft was headed for the ISS carrying 5.5 tons of food and supplies including scientific payload for the crew aboard the space station, making this their fifth mission.
Along with its precious cargo were whiskey samples from Japanese beverage company Suntory where several samples were placed in pouches for a one year maturation project.
Suntory explains that this space whiskey aging experiment focuses on micro gravity conditions than can allow the company to create a more mellow whiskey.
However, prior cargo re-supply missions have failed since last fall including SpaceX and Russian Roscosmos efforts a few months ago as this Japanese cargo mission became highly anticipated around the world.
When the vehicle arrived near the ISS, veteran astronaut Koichi Wakata provided assistance from NASA's mission control center in Houston for Yui's mission to dock and capture the cargo vehicle. This also marks the first time that a Japanese had led a communications operations when it comes to docking a Kounotori spacecraft.
The Kounotori 5 completed its mission by docking at the ISS on August 25.
