Jaxa and MHI have just announced that they have set the launch dates for the next H-2A and Kounotori-3 (HTV-3).

H-2A flight 21 is scheduled to launch JAXA’s Global Changing Observation Mission 1st – Water  “SHIZUKU” (GCOM-W1) and the KOMPSAT-3 (Korean Multi-purpose Satellite 1)  of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) May 18 (Friday), 2012 (Japan Standard Time) at  1:39 a.m. thru 1:42 a.m. (Japan Standard Time).

To capitalize on the excess launch capability of the H-IIA F21, Japan is also provide launch and orbit injection opportunities for two small secondary  payloads.

Also H-II Transfer Vehicle Kounotori-3 (HTV-3)  aboard the H-2B Launch Vehicle No. 3 is scheduled for launch on  July 21 (Saturday), 2012 (Japan Standard Time, JST) around 11:18 a.m. (JST). The launch window will run July 22 (Sunday) through August 31 (Friday), 2012 (JST) at the Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the Tanegashima Space Center.

It’s going to be a busy time for JAXA and MHI and a lot is riding on both missions.

First of all with the STS now retired, Japan is taking a vital role in resupplying ISS and both the HTV and the H-2B relatively new.

MHI and JAXA have been on a 12-year campaign to fully master the H-2 A/B technologies but the H-2B and HTV, a highly advanced automatic tug and the subject of more than 20 years of research by JAXA, are  still very early into their launch careers. Experienced space watchers know that new technologies are still on probation until their launch rates reach double figures. Of course, failure of the mission to the ISS would not only be an international disaster for Japan, but cause the ISS program many issues.

There is also a lot riding on the KOMPSAT launch, as the H-2A is carrying a major Korean research satellite. While the ROK has found out that launch systems are extremely difficult to develop, having seen its first two efforts end unhappily, a failure of a launch of a prize Korean satellite aboard a Japanese rocket could deeply impact fractious Japan-ROK relations unless handled well by both sides. No doubt vituperation (from the ROK side) and conspiracy theories will abound.

The Kunotori mission is carrying several intriguing payloads, including two reentry accuracy and measurement experiments; the REBR (Reentry Breakup Recorder) manufactured by  Aerospace Corporation, which will record data regarding the thermal, acceleration, rotational and other stresses that Kounotori will go through as it breaks up on reentry,  and the much larger (22kg) i-Ball by IHI Aerospace which will do a similar job, but also has a camera.

JAXA is planning to release Cubesats from the International Space Station using the JEM’s  robot hand, from Japan these will be  RAIKO (Wakayama University) FITSAT-1 (Fukuoka Institute of Technology) and the WE WISH radio ham cubesats and TechEdSat built by San Jose State University and the F-1 cubesat by FPT University.

Good luck, chaps.