HTV-6

Japan's sixth H-II Transfer Vehicle lifted off on Friday, December 9, 2016 atop an H-IIB rocket blasting off from the picturesque Tanegashima Space Center. Loaded with 5.9 metric tons of cargo, HTV-6 enjoyed a flawless 15-minute climb into orbit on the heavy-lift rocket ahead of a four-day rendezvous with the International Space Station for arrival on Tuesday, Dec. 13.

HTV-6 completed a six-week stay on ISS, facilitating the transfer of internal cargo and the replacement of the first batch of aging batteries on ISS with new ones delivered by the HTV. The planned January 27 departure of the spacecraft will be followed by a week-long free-flight dedicated to the HTV-KITE Experiment. Live video by NASA TV.