After a five-day flight , the second Japanese logistics vehicle, the HTV-2 or Kounotori-2 normally reached the vicinity of the international space station. Unlike the European ATV, which is able to automatically dock to the complex, the HTV is limited to close to within a few feet away, which should be captured by the ISS's robotic arm. Cady Coleman took to manipulate Canadarm-2 arm to make the catch, which went smoothly at 11:41 UTC on 27 January. Just over 3 hours later, at 14:51 UTC, the vehicle was taken to a docking port of Harmony and joined him. Having secured the connection, the Kounotori-2 became available to the crew of the station, which opened the hatch to unload supplies brought many inside. On board food and water travel as well as scientific experiments, cameras and computers, all in the pressurized area of \u200b\u200bthe vehicle. But the HTV has also a non-pressurized area, whose contents will be removed by using complex robotic arms, from 1 February. They have placed several parts too large to travel inside. The Kounotori-2 will remain a couple of months with the ISS, but not always in the same position. Be moved from its current home port to the February 18, to facilitate the arrival and docking of the shuttle Discovery, and returned to the original place where the Shuttle returns to Earth. March 28 will have completed its mission and Kounotori-2 may be released to begin the return to Earth's atmosphere, where it will be full of rubbish destroyed. ( Photo: JAXA / NASA ) HTV
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