H-IIB (H2B) is a launch system used to launch H-II Transfer Vehicles towards the International Space Station. H2B rockets are launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. H-IIB is built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. H-IIB is derived from the original H-II and the H-IIA that underwent modifications to reduce costs and increase
reliability and to increase its payload capacity for the heavy HTV. The H-IIB was designed to adopt methods and components that have already been verified by flights on the H-IIA, so that manufacturing the new launch vehicle would be more cost-effective, with less risk, in a shorter period of time.
