Lambda (rocket family)
Lambda is the name of a series of Japanese carrier rockets. It consisted of the types Lambda 2, LS-A, LSC-3, Lambda 3, Lambda 4 and LS-C, developed jointly by Institute of Industrial Science of University of Tokyo, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of Tokyo University, and Prince Motor Company.
On February 11, 1970 the first Japanese satellite Ohsumi was launched using a Lambda 4 rocket.
The Lambda series are not guided rockets, perhaps because guidance techniques might be converted to military use.
The Lambda 4 was launched nine times, though five were failures. The first launch of the Lambda 4S rocket took place on September 26, 1966 from Kagoshima. A fourth-stage attitude control failed resulting in loss of the vehicle and payload. The last launch date was September 1, 1974.
