June 30, 2006 Updated
Prototype HTV unveiled to press at Tsukuba Space Center
JAXA unveiled to the press a prototype of the "H-II Transfer Vehicle" (HTV), which transports goods to the International Space Station (ISS). The HTV is a cylindrical-shaped inter-orbital carrier whose length is 10 meters and diameter is 4.4 meters at the largest section. It can carry six tons of goods to the ISS. The prototype is manufactured for various environmental tests on the ground to check if it can bear with the temperature changes in space and acoustic and vibration environment at the time of the launch. The HTV is scheduled to be launched by the H-IIB launch vehicle, which is under development, in Japan Fiscal Year 2008.
June 2, 2006 Updated
"Science" magazine features results of "Hayabusa" observations
The asteroid probe "Hayabusa," which landed on the asteroid "Itokawa" last November, successfully turned on its ion engine, and it is now aiming to return to Earth in June 2010. The U.S. eminent scientific journal Science features the results of Hayabusa's scientific investigations in its June 2 edition. The "Hayabusa" observed Itokawa's shape, geographical features, reflectance, mineral composite, and gravity from an altitude of three to 20 km, and clarified the Itokawa's structure as a "pile of rubble." Science published seven Hayabusa-related essays, the first time for the magazine to feature a Japanese asteroid probe project. The Hayabusa project also received a "Space Pioneer Award" from the National Space Society of the United States at the International Space Development conference held in Los Angeles in May. - -Science features the results of Hayabusa scientific investigations
-Science/AAAS website
-The status of the Hayabusa as of the end of May 2006
-Hayabusa project