The HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft, launched by JAXA (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), has delivered around 12,000 pounds of supplies and scientific equipment to the International Space Station (ISS). This unmanned spacecraft is set to leave the ISS on Friday, March 6.
On Thursday, March 5, controllers will use the station’s Canadarm2 to detach HTV-X1 from its docking port. While NASA won’t broadcast the detachment live, astronaut Chris Williams will monitor the spacecraft’s systems during this process.
After its departure, HTV-X1 will stay in orbit for over three months, serving as a research platform for JAXA’s experiments. When the time comes for re-entry, it will burn up safely, taking tons of trash with it.
This spacecraft arrived at the ISS on October 29, 2025, following its launch on October 25 from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center. The ISS has hosted continuous human presence for over 25 years, leading to groundbreaking scientific discoveries that are impossible on Earth.
NASA is now focusing on deep space missions, particularly the Artemis program, aiming for the Moon and preparing for future manned missions to Mars. As companies ramp up human space travel to low Earth orbit, the ISS plays a key role in these advancements.
For more updates and research from the ISS, you can follow them on social media platforms like Instagram and X.
Learn more about the ISS at NASA.gov.
For NASA-related inquiries, you can contact:
Josh Finch, Headquarters: 202-358-1100
Email: joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones, Johnson Space Center: 281-483-5111
Email: sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
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International Space Station (ISS), ISS Research, Space Operations Mission Directorate
