Japan rocket ferrying supplies to space station

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The H-2B Launch Vehicle No. 2 blasts off from the launching pad at Tanegashima Space Center on the southern Japanese island of Tanegashima on Saturday Jan. 22, 2011. The rocket carrying supplies for the International Space Station successfully lifted off from the remote island Saturday on a mission designed to help fill a hole left by the retirement of NASA's space shuttle program. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT, FOR COMMERCIAL USE ONLY IN NORTH AMERICA (AP)

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By ERIC TALMADGE

The Associated Press
Saturday, January 22, 2011; 3:35 AM

TOKYO -- A Japanese rocket carrying supplies for the International Space Station successfully lifted off from a remote island Saturday on a mission designed to help fill a hole left by the retirement of NASA's space shuttle program.

The unmanned rocket was carrying nearly 6 tons of food, water, clothing and experimental equipment to the astronauts in orbit in the space station, an international project involving 15 nations. The rocket also was carrying cargo for NASA.


After docking with the space station, dropping off its cargo and being loaded up with waste material, the rocket's transfer vehicle, named "Kounotori2," will be detached and burn itself up upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere. Kounotori means white stork in Japanese.


Applause broke out at the control center on Tanegashima Island as officials announced that the launch phase was a success. Tracking was switched to a center in Guam as the vehicle moved rapidly away from Japan.


Kounotori2 is expected to reach the space station on Jan. 27.


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