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Saturday, January 18, 2020  Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883 Partly Cloudy Day 27° Partly Cloudy
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Japanese rocket blasts off with batteries for space station

This photo provided by NASA shows a unmanned rocket carrying the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's supply vessel is launched off from Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. The spacecraft is loaded with more than four tons of supplies, spare parts, and experiment hardware is headed to the International Space Station. (AP)
This photo provided by NASA shows a unmanned rocket carrying the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's supply vessel is launched off from Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. The spacecraft is loaded with more than four tons of supplies, spare parts, and experiment hardware is headed to the International Space Station. (AP)
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By Marcia Dunn Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A Japanese supply ship rocketed toward the International Space Station on Tuesday, two weeks after a launch pad fire halted the first countdown.

Japanese officials traced the fire to static electricity and oxygen propellant, and corrected the problem.

The 4-ton shipment should arrive at the space station Saturday. Spacewalking astronauts will install the six new lithium-ion batteries later this year, replacing old-style batteries. The cargo ship is named Kounotori, Japanese for white stork.

The Japanese Space Agency is one of several organizations making periodic station deliveries. Russia sends up supplies, as do SpaceX and Northrop Grumman on NASA’s behalf.

Russia, meanwhile, plans to launch three astronauts to the space station Wednesday, including the first person from the United Arab Emirates bound for orbit.

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