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.
![](../I/m/Lambda_Rocket_Launcher.jpg)
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.