First Japanese Cargo Ship Leaves Space Station

[mickw]

Japan's first unmanned space cargo ship cast off from the International Space Station Friday as it nears the end of a successful maiden voyage.

Astronauts aboard the station used the outpost's robotic arm to pluck the spacecraft, called the H-2 Transfer Vehicle 1 (HTV-1), free from an Earth-facing mooring and let it go at about 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT).

The HTV-1 is the first in a new line of Japanese space freighters to haul tons of supplies for astronauts aboard the space station. It is the latest addition to an international flotilla of unmanned space cargo ships for the station that includes Russian and European vehicles.

More:   http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/091030-japanese-spaceship-undocks.html