Tanegashima – Spaceflight Now

United Arab Emirates successfully sends its first mission toward Mars

July 19, 2020 Stephen Clark

Riding a Japanese rocket, the Arab world’s first interplanetary probe departed planet Earth on Sunday to begin a seven-month journey to Mars on a dual mission of scientific exploration and proving the mettle of the UAE’s growing space program.

H-2A launch timeline with the Emirates Mars Mission

July 19, 2020 Stephen Clark

It will take approximately one hour for a Japanese H-2A rocket to propel the Hope Mars orbiter on a trajectory to escape Earth’s gravitational bond, kicking off a seven-month journey to the Red Planet.

Live coverage: Emirates Mars Mission launches from Japan

July 19, 2020 Stephen Clark

A Japanese H-2A rocket launched at 5:58 p.m. EDT (2158 GMT) Sunday from the Tanegashima Space Center with the Emirates Mars Mission’s Hope orbiter, the UAE’s first probe to Mars.

Photos: H-2A rocket reaches launch pad with UAE’s Hope Mars probe

July 19, 2020 Stephen Clark

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries transferred an H-2A rocket to its launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan on Sunday, ready to commence a final countdown before liftoff with the Hope Mars mission for the United Arab Emirates.

Live coverage: Launch of Emirates Mars Mission rescheduled for Sunday

July 14, 2020 Stephen Clark

The launch of a Japanese H-2A rocket with the Emirates Mars Mission, a Mars orbiter developed in partnership between Emirati and U.S. scientists, was delayed Tuesday due to poor weather at the H-2A’s launch site on Tanegashima Island in southern Japan. Officials later announced that liftoff would not occur Thursday, again citing bad weather at the launch site. A new launch attempt is scheduled for Sunday, weather permitting.

Arab world’s first Mars mission packs a scientific punch

July 13, 2020 Stephen Clark

The UAE’s Hope mission is set for liftoff this week from Japan, taking aim on Mars with a package of scientific instruments designed to probe weather and climate change on the Red Planet.

UAE’s first Mars probe meets launcher in Japan

July 12, 2020 Stephen Clark

A Mars orbiter developed by the United Arab Emirates in partnership with U.S. scientists has been mounted on top of a Japanese H-2A rocket and its battery charged for liftoff Tuesday from the Tanegashima Space Center.

Final H-2B rocket launch sends Japanese supply ship toward space station

May 20, 2020 Stephen Clark

The ninth and final flight of Japan’s H-2B rocket — the country’s most powerful launcher — drove an automated cargo freighter into orbit Wednesday on a five-day pursuit of the International Space Station.

Live coverage: HTV cargo freighter arrives at space station

May 20, 2020 Stephen Clark

Five days after launching from Japan, an HTV supply ship arrived Monday at the International Space Station. Capture of the HTV with the station’s robotic arm occurred at 8:13 a.m. EDT (1213 GMT). It’s the last cargo mission to the space station before the arrival of two NASA astronauts on the first crewed U.S. flight to the orbiting research facility since 2011.

Japan’s HTV ready for launch with last set of new space station solar batteries

May 19, 2020 Stephen Clark

A Japanese HTV cargo freighter is ready for launch Wednesday with the last set of six lithium-ion batteries to upgrade the International Space Station’s solar power truss.