New Delhi: Japan just took a major step in global space leadership with the launch of its new HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft, and I have to admit, as someone who has followed space missions since school, this one actually gave me goosebumps. There is something about seeing a country push beyond old limits that feels personal. At 5:30 AM IST on October 26, the H3 rocket roared off the launchpad from Tanegashima Space Center, carrying the HTV-X1 into orbit. This is not just another delivery mission to the International Space Station. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in space logistics, technology testing, and Japan’s push toward lunar exploration.

The spacecraft will reach the ISS on October 30 at 9:20 PM IST, where Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui will manually capture it using the robotic a

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