Japan launches unmanned cargo carrier into orbit

A H-2B rocket carrying the unmanned cargo transporter Konotori, blasts off from the launching pad at Tanegashima Space Center on the Japanese southwestern island of Tanegashima, about 1,000km (621 miles) southwest of Tokyo, in this photo taken by Kyodo on July 21, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

TOKYO - An unmanned cargo carrier to supply goods to the International Space Station (ISS), "the Konotori 3", was successfully launched into orbit by an H2B rocket in southwest Japan on Saturday.

The rocket blasted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan at 11:06 am local time, the public broadcaster NHK reported.

The cargo carrier separated from the rocket at an altitude of about 288 kilometers about 15 minutes later.

The transporter is carrying 4.6 tons of cargo, including food, experiment hardware, and micro-satellites developed by Japanese universities and companies, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

The event marked the third launch of the spacecraft by the Japanese space agency.

The cargo carrier will be docked to the ISS by a robotic arm used by the space station crew.