Japan's first unmanned space cargo vehicle, which separated from the International Space Station early Saturday Japan time, re-entered the atmosphere Monday morning after completing its mission, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said.
The H-II Transfer Vehicle, or HTV, re-entered the atmosphere about 120 km above New Zealand at 6:26 a.m., apparently disintegrating and burning up on its descent toward the South Pacific, JAXA said.
The HTV's maiden flight successfully accomplished the initial objective of shipping cargo to the ISS, and the HTV completed all aspects of its 52-day mission, the agency said.
Japan will send HTVs loaded with cargo to the space station once a year until 2015.
The first HTV, 10 meters long and 4.4 meters in diameter, was launched Sept. 11 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture to carry food and supplies and stratospheric observation equipment for Japan's Kibo laboratory module on the ISS. It docked with the ISS on Sept. 18.
After its cargo was transferred to the ISS, the HTV was loaded with 1.6 tons of used equipment and waste before being disconnected.