The first HTV Small Re-entry Capsule (HSRC) operation highlight with regard to crew’s assembly and reentry.
- Paper number
IAC-19,B6,3,4,x54138
- Author
Mr. Yuichiro Nogawa, Japan, Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation (JAMSS)
- Coauthor
Mr. Kota Tanabe, Japan, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
- Year
2019
- Abstract
HTV Small Re-entry Capsule (HSRC) is a mission developed by JAXA in order to demonstrate re-entry as well as capability to recover experimental samples from International Space Station (ISS). The HSRC was transferred to the ISS as an internal cargo of HTV-7, which is 7th mission of JAXA H-II transfer Vehicle (HTV) "KOUNOTORI” and was launched and berthed to ISS on September 2018 and re-entered on November 2018. In this HTV-7 mission, after completing the re-supply cargo to ISS, we demonstrated this novel technology for recovering experiment samples from ISS, which Japan had not obtained up until now, by taking advantage of the opportunity of re-entry into Earth with the HSRC for the first time ever. The HSRC, where samples will be kept cool in a passive way (no electric cooler), houses a vacuum double layer insulation container (thermos bottle) and a heat storage unit (refrigerant), inside of which experiment samples is stored. HSRC assembly by crew was conducted from two days prior to HTV-7 departure. ISS Crew assembled a part of Cylindrical Support (Cone Section and Plate Section) at first. Next day, which is one day before the departure, crew installed science samples into sample box and container inside HSRC. After the installation, a big and long duration task was performed to assemble HSRC with the separation mechanism fixed, and Cylindrical Support. There is a cabling between HSRC, Cylindrical Support and HTV. Finally, crew attached HSRC and Cylindrical Support to HTV bulkhead. Then the HSRC attached onto the HTV bulkhead area before HTV-7 departure (un-berth) from ISS. On the departure day, crew conducted to depress vestibule between ISS and HTV-7 and followed unberth operation later. After all of HTV-7 deorbit burn finished, the capsule was separated from HTV-7 by the command from the ground to activate the separation mechanism of HSRC. HSRC successfully re-entered Earth’s atmosphere in a guided lift flight, deployed a parachute, and splashed down into the sea, then was picked up by recovery ship On the ship samples taken out from the HSRC were loaded onto an airplane on Minamitori Island, immediately delivered to Tsukuba Space Center. This paper documents these new and very challenging mission for the first time ever to JAXA. Also, it explains what kinds of difficulty we experienced and made solutions, which will contribute to next generation HSRC planned near future.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-19,B6,3,4,x54138.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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