Encyclopedia Astronautica
H-IIB

Japanese orbital launch vehicle, utilizing H-IIA engines, but with larger-diameter all-new stages. Designed to place Japanese ISS HTV logistics vehicle into orbit.

Basic diamter is 5.2m in diameter versus 4.0 m for the H-IIA. The first stage contains 70% more propellant than that of the H-IIA.

Status: Active.
First Launch: 2009.09.10.
Last Launch: 2011.01.22.
Number: 2 .

More... - Chronology...
Associated Countries
See also
  • H-2 Heavy lift Japanese indigenous launch vehicle. The original H-2 version was cancelled due to high costs and poor reliability and replaced by the substantially redesigned H-2A.

    3 stage vehicle consisted of 2 x H-II SRB + 1 x H-II stage 1 + 1 x H-II stage 2 More...

Associated Manufacturers and Agencies
  • Mitsubishi Japanese manufacturer of rockets, spacecraft, and rocket engines. Mitsubishi Electric Corp, Japan. More...
Associated Launch Sites
  • Tanegashima Japan's main launch site for he larger N and H launch vehicles. In use for sounding rockets from 1967 and orbital launches from 1975. As of 2007 over 140 major launches had been made from the site. More...
Associated Stages
  • H-2A SRB-A Solid propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 76,400/10,400 kg. Thrust 2,250.00 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 280 seconds. More...

H-IIB Chronology
2009 September 10 - . 17:01 GMT - . Launch Site: Tanegashima. Launch Complex: Tanegashima Y2. LV Family: H-2. Launch Vehicle: H-IIB.
  • HTV-1 - . Mass: 16,000 kg (35,000 lb). Nation: Japan. Agency: JAXA. Program: ISS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Flight: ISS EO-20; ISS EO-19. Spacecraft: HTV. Decay Date: 2009-09-13 . USAF Sat Cat: 35817 . COSPAR: 2009-048A. Apogee: 342 km (212 mi). Perigee: 334 km (207 mi). Inclination: 51.6000 deg. Period: 91.30 min. First launch of the H-IIB booster and the HTV International Space Station resupply spacecraft. HTV-1 rendezvoused with the ISS on 17 September, stationkeeping 10 m away. It was grappled by the station's Canadarm and berthed to the Harmony port of the station and then unloaded.
2011 January 22 - . 05:37 GMT - . Launch Site: Tanegashima. Launch Complex: Tanegashima Y2. LV Family: H-2. Launch Vehicle: H-IIB.
  • HTV 2 - . Payload: Kounotori 2. Mass: 16,000 kg (35,000 lb). Nation: Japan. Program: ISS. Class: Manned. Type: Manned logistics spacecraft. Flight: ISS EO-26; ISS EO-25. Spacecraft: HTV. Duration: 67.00 days. Decay Date: 2011-03-30 . USAF Sat Cat: 37351 . COSPAR: 2011-003A. Apogee: 355 km (220 mi). Perigee: 350 km (210 mi). Inclination: 51.6000 deg. Period: 91.60 min. Second Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle, delivering equipment and supplies to the International Space Station. Detached from the station by the station's robot arm and released into space on 28 March at 15:46 GMT. Following retrofire burned up over the Pacific Ocean on 30 March at 03:09 GMT on 30 March.
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