At 11:06am local time (9:09am Vietnam time), the HII-B rocket successfully launched HTV-3 transfer vehicle carrying F-1 and companion CubeSats to orbit. 15 minutes after launch, HTV-3 (KOUNOTORI3) successfully separated, initiated communications with Tsukuba, establised 3-axis attitude control and completed the first phase maneuver (PM1). It is on course for docking with the International Space Station in about 5 days.
USSTRATCOM catalogued first element set for Object 38706/2012-038A indicating the following orbit at epoch 0436UTC today: 184.7km x 304.6km x 51.66°
TLE:
HTV-3 (KOUNOTORI 3)
1 38706U 12038A 12203.65246830 -.00003598 11374-4 00000+0 0 86
2 38706 51.6555 311.7655 0053635 311.6336 193.9314 16.03010062 72
So we are in space now, thank you all for supporting and making our dream a reality!
Here are some photos taken during the live launch watching event in Hanoi and Hochiminh city:
And here’s the launch video:
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Congratulations for the successful launch of your satellite!
Greetings from the mursat-team in Graz, Austria!