Japan's new HTV-X cargo spacecraft departed the International Space Station today (March 6) after a four-month stay.

The vehicle — known as HTV-X1, because it's the first of its kind — was released by the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm today at 12 p.m. EST (1700 GMT), right on schedule.

The ISS was flying about 260 miles (418 kilometers) above the Pacific Ocean at the time, according to a NASA update.

The robotic HTV-X is the successor to Japan's H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), which flew nine cargo missions to the International Space Station (ISS) from 2009 to 2020.

The new freighter launched for the first time on Oct. 25, carrying about 9,000 pounds (4,080 kilograms) of food and other supplies to the orbiting lab. On Oct. 28, HTV-X1 reached its destination, where it was grappled by Canadarm2 and affixed to the station's Harmony module.

The arm removed the vehicle from the module on Thursday (March 5), then began positioning it for today's release.

HTV-X1 will now stay up for a while as a free flyer.

"The HTV-X1 spacecraft will remain in orbit for more than three months acting as a scientific platform for JAXA’s experiments," NASA officials said in an update on Monday (March 2), referring to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

"Following the deorbit command, the spacecraft will dispose of several thousand pounds of trash during reentry into Earth's atmosphere, where it will burn up harmlessly," they added.

Three other freighters haul cargo up to the ISS these days as well — Russia's Progress vehicle, Northrop Grumman's Cygnus, and Dragon, which is built by SpaceX. Dragon is the only one that's reusable.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 1:15 p.m. ET on March 6 with the news of HTV-X1's departure from the ISS.

Japan's space program has a way of surprising the world.

While some agencies dominate headlines with splashy launches, JAXA often works with a quiet precision that suddenly produces something extraordinary — a spacecraft touching down on an asteroid, a lunar lander executing a daring maneuver, or a new instrument revealing the universe in sharper detail. That combination of ambition and meticulous engineering has earned JAXA a reputation as one of the most innovative players in modern space exploration.

This quiz celebrates that spirit. Whether you're fascinated by the Hayabusa missions, curious about Japan's contributions to the International Space Station, or simply intrigued by the country's growing role in lunar and planetary science, you'll find plenty to challenge your memory and spark your imagination.

Whether you ace the quiz or learn something new along the way, you'll come away with a deeper appreciation for the ingenuity and determination that drive Japan's journey beyond our planet.

See how well you score below!

Japan's new HTV-X cargo spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station for the first time ever today (Oct. 28), delivering thousands of pounds of payloads and supplies to astronauts aboard.

The robotic HTV-X was captured by the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm — operated by NASA astronaut Zena Cardman and Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) — today at 11:58 p.m. EDT (1558 GMT), as the station flew 260 miles ( kilometers) over the south Atlantic Ocean.

The HTV-X is the successor to Japan's H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), which flew nine missions — all of them successful — to the International Space Station (ISS) between September 2009 and May 2020.

Like its predecessor, the HTV-X can carry about 13,200 pounds (6,000 kilograms) of payload to low Earth orbit. It's hauling about 9,000 pounds (4,080 kg) of food and supplies on this mission, which began with a launch atop an H3 rocket on Saturday (Oct. 25).

Upon its rendezvous with the ISS, HTV-X carried out a series of test maneuvers, including a retreat-from-station procedure and systems checks ahead of spacecraft capture.

The new freighter is expendable, just like the HTV (which was also known as Kounotori, Japanese for "White Stork"). But the HTV-X can stay up for considerably longer stretches.

"HTV-X enhances transportation capabilities and adds the capability to provide various users with on-orbit demonstration opportunities for up to 1.5 years after leaving ISS until reentry," Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which builds the HTV-X for JAXA, wrote in a description of the vehicle.

HTV-X joins three other vehicles in the stable of robotic ISS cargo craft. The other freighters that currently service the station are Russia's Progress vehicle as well as Cygnus and Dragon, which are built by the American companies Northrop Grumman and SpaceX, respectively.

All are expendable except Dragon, which splashes down in the ocean for recovery and reuse. Dragon can therefore also haul scientific experiments and other materials down to Earth from the station.

Japan's new HTV-X cargo spacecraft launched on its first-ever mission to the International Space Station on Saturday (Oct. 25).

The robotic HTV-X lifted off atop an H3 rocket from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT and 9 a.m local Japan time on Oct. 26).

It is expected to arrive at the station for its capture and berthing on Wednesday (Oct. 29) at about 11:50 a.m. EDT (1550 GMT).

The HTV-X is the successor to JAXA's H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), also known as Kounotori (Japanese for "White Stork"), which flew nine missions to the International Space Station (ISS) between September 2009 and May 2020.

At 26.2 feet (8 meters) long, the new freighter is about 4 feet (1.2 m) shorter than its predecessor, but it can loft roughly the same payload mass to low Earth orbit (about 13,200 pounds, or 6,000 kilograms). The HTV-X also offers other advantages.

"HTV-X enhances transportation capabilities and adds the capability to provide various users with on-orbit demonstration opportunities for up to 1.5 years after leaving ISS until reentry," Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which builds the HTV-X for JAXA, wrote in a description of the vehicle.

The HTV-X's potential uses also extend beyond the ISS, according to JAXA. The agency envisions it aiding "post-ISS human space activities in low Earth orbit" as well as possibly flying cargo to Gateway, the space station NASA may build in lunar orbit as part of its Artemis program.

HTV-X's debut increases the stable of ISS cargo craft by one-third. The currently operational freighters are Russia's Progress vehicle and Cygnus and Dragon, spacecraft built by the American companies Northrop Grumman and SpaceX, respectively. Only Dragon is reusable; the others (including HTV-X) are designed to burn up in Earth's atmosphere when their missions are over.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 8:15 p.m. ET on Oct. 25 with news of successful liftoff.

One year after Japan's nuclear disaster, the invisible threat of radiation still lurks around homes and businesses near the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant. Now, a new camera based on Japanese space technology has allowed humans to see the radioactive contamination around the nuclear plant's emergency evacuation zone.

Such camera technology works by detecting radioactive particles that give off gamma rays — the highest-energy form of light in the universe. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) originally developed the technology for an upcoming X-ray observation satellite, called ASTRO-H, but successfully adapted the camera to spot Earthly radiation threats such as Cesium 137 and Cesium 134.

The camera's wide 180-degree vision showed radioactive particles spread across the ground and  on rooftops of the village in the Fukushima Prefecture during a field test Feb. 11. Its results proved more accurate and capable of capturing a broader snapshot of the radioactive zone than existing cameras.

Such a space technology spinoff can also spot radioactivity in hard-to-reach places — such as building rooftops — where traditional survey meters can't go.

Researchers from JAXA, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency and Tokyo Electric Power Co.  took part in testing the "Super-wide Angle Compton Camera" prototype. They plan to continue developing the camera for practical use in radioactive material decontamination work.

Some residents of the region surrounding the Fukushima nuclear plant have begun moving back to homes and farms. But Japan's government has kept a "no-go" zone that extends 12 miles (19 kilometers) around the nuclear facility because of the radiation threat.

This story was provided by InnovationNewsDaily, sister site to SPACE.com. Follow InnovationNewsDaily on Twitter @News_Innovation, or on Facebook.