JAXA’S HTV-X1 DEPARTS ISS, Mar 6, 2026, Earth orbit, 12:00 pm ET (NASA coverage begins 11:45 am ET)

JAXA’s HTV-X1 cargo ship will depart the International Space Station on March 6, 2026 at 12:00 pm ET. NASA will provide live coverage beginning at 11:45 am ET on  NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel.

HTV-X spacecraft berth to the ISS, rather than dock. Canadarm2 will be used to detach it from the Harmony module’s earth-facing port on Thursday. NASA will not provide live coverage of that, only of the release from Canadarm2 on Friday.

HTV-X1 will remain in orbit for more than three months after departing from the ISS to conduct a variety of scientific experiments. Thereafter it will be commanded to reenter, burning up in the atmosphere and disposing of ISS trash in the process.

More information is in NASA’s press release.