Four astronauts from the Space Shuttle Endeavour mission (STS-127), including Koichi Wakata, the first Japanese astronaut to spend extended time in space, paid a visit to the IA Tomioka Plant.
IA was responsible for the external experiment platform and external pallet for the Kibo Japanese experiment module of the International Space Station completed in July 2009. In addition to serving as a courtesy visit, the visit to IA provided an opportunity for a technical debriefing. Comments from crew members indicated satisfaction with hardware designed and manufactured by IA, which was described by the crew members as performing as designed.

The H-ⅡA launch vehicle No. 16 was launched on November 28, 2009, at 10:21 p.m. from the Tanegashima Space Center, and sent the Optical 3 information gathering satellite into its scheduled orbit.
IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. was involved at every step in the development and manufacture of the H-ⅡA's solid rocket boosters (SRB-A), rocket separation ordnance, and gas jet system for second-stage attitude control, and also provided support for the liftoff at the launch site.

The H-ⅡB launch vehicle was launched for a test flight on September 11, 2009, at 2:01 a.m. from the Tanegashima Space Center. The H-Ⅱ Transfer Vehicle (HTV) carried by the H-ⅡB was successfully berthed at the International Space Station (ISS) on September 18. After the laboratory equipment had been mounted on the exposed facility of the ISS, the HTV was loaded with waste material and separated from the ISS. The HTV re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on November 2, at 6:26 a.m., successfully completing its 52-day mission.
IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. was involved at every step in the development and manufacture of the H-ⅡB's solid rocket boosters (SRB-A), rocket separation ordnance, gas jet system for second-stage attitude control, and also took part in the HTV propulsion project.
The HTV is expected to play a vital role in transporting supplies to the ISS.

On July 16, 2009, at 7:03 a.m., the space shuttle Endeavour was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, carrying an external experimental platform (Exposed Facility) and external stowage pallet (Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section) , the last parts required for completion of the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module. In a recent mission, Astronaut Wakata used the Kibo's robot arm for the first time in performing tasks. After the external experimental platform delivered by the space shuttle Endeavour was installed to the Kibo, the external payload was moved from the external stowage pallet to the external experimental platform, and then the external stowage pallet was stowed in the space shuttle. These tasks took 12 days to perform. After the successful completion of the mission, Astronaut Wakata returned to the Earth in the Endeavor, after a three-and-half-month stay in the International Space Station, together with six other crew members.
IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. was involved at every step in the development and manufacture of the external experimental platform and external stowage pallet.

On January 26, at 9:15 a.m., the S-310-39 rocket (overall length: approx. 7.4 m, weight: 0.7 t) was launched from the Andoya Rocket Range in Norway. The purpose of the S-310-39 launch is to study the dynamics and energetics in the lower polar thermosphere under the effects of auroral activity. The nose cone was opened 61 seconds after liftoff, and the rocket reached its maximum attitude of 140 km. After completing all scheduled observations, the S-310-39 splashed down in the ocean north of Andoya.
IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. was involved at every step in the development and manufacture of the S-310 rocket.

The H-ⅡA launch vehicle No. 15 lifted off on January 23, 2009, at 12:54 p.m, from the Tanegashima Space Center, and injected the greenhouse gases observing satellite IBUKI into its scheduled orbit.
IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. was involved at every step in the development and manufacture of the H-ⅡA's solid rocket boosters (SRB-A), rocket separation ordnance, and gas jet system for second-stage attitude control, and also provided support for its liftoff at the launch site. In addition, IHI Aerospace took part in the satellite propulsion project and contributed to the IBUKI's mission.