H-IIB (H2B)

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.

 

H-IIA

H-IIA (H2A) is an  launch system operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. H-IIA rockets have been used to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, to launch a lunar orbiting spacecraft, and to launch an interplanetary space probe to Venus. All
Launches occur at the Tanegashima Space Center . It first flew in 2001 and has been launched 28 times. Current Launches are operated by MHI only as JAXA handed the Launch System over in 2007.