Station Crew Enters Japanese Vehicle, Russian Progress Ready for Departure

(NASA) – The Expedition 20 crew opened the hatches to the newly arrived Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) Friday at 2:23 p.m. EDT. The crew entered the pressurized section of the HTV to begin cargo transfers to the station.

After the HTV is empty they will fill it with trash. Cargo from the unpressurized section will be transferred using both the Canadarm2 and Japan’s external robotic arm attached to the Kibo laboratory.

The station’s robotic arm attaches the unpiloted Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony node. Credit: NASA TV

After chasing the International Space Station for seven days the HTV was grappled with the Canadarm2 and berthed to the station’s Harmony Node on Thursday at 6:26 p.m. The station’s newest crew member, Nicole Stott, along with Flight Engineers Robert Thirsk and Frank de Winne, operated the Canadarm2 flawlessly as the HTV floated just 30 feet away from the station.