Japanese ship H-II Transfer Vehicle-7 (HTV-7), captured on September 14, 2018 during the preparation for launch
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) unexpectedly delayed a vital cargo launch to the International Space Station just an hour before the official launch of the rocket.
The agency has not yet announced a new launch date and has not explained the reason for the delay. The mission was previously postponed (September 10) because of a typhoon that raged near the launch pad in the Tanegashima Space Center (southern Japan). After forced delays, the researchers calculated a series of launch windows that should last until the end of October. The H-II Transfer Vehicle-7 (HTV-7) vehicle delivers important supplies to the six astronauts who now reside on the orbital station. The cargo includes six new batteries that will need to be installed on the outside of the space station during the space walk (end of September). Also on the ship is a lot of experimental materials.
The launch attempt was scheduled early on September 15, but JAXA tweeted an hour before launch. After takeoff, the ship will need about 2.5 days to reach the ISS.
