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Lambda (rocket family)
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<h2 id="configurations">Configurations</h2> <p>Lambda types differ regarding the upper stages used. The following table shows the actual configurations:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> </p> <table><tbody><tr><th>Type</th><th>Boosters</th><th>Stage 1</th><th>Stage 2</th><th>Stage 3</th><th>Stage 4</th></tr><tr><td>Lambda 2</td><td>-</td><td>L-735</td><td>K-420</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>Lambda 3</td><td>-</td><td>L-735</td><td>K-420</td><td><a href="/facts/Kappa-8/AAwK7oME">Kappa-8</a></td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>Lambda 3H</td><td>-</td><td>L-735</td><td>L-735(1/3)</td><td>L-500</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>Lambda 4S</td><td>2 × SB-310</td><td>L-735</td><td>L-735(1/3)</td><td>L-500</td><td>L-480S</td></tr><tr><td>Lambda 4SC</td><td>2 × SB-310</td><td>L-735</td><td>L-735(1/3)</td><td>L-500</td><td>L-480S</td></tr><tr><td>Lambda 4T</td><td>2 × SB-310</td><td>L-735</td><td>L-735(1/3)</td><td>L-500</td><td>L-480S</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="launches">Launches</h2> <p>Lambda rockets were launched by <a href="/facts/Institute_of_Space_and_Astronautical_Science/qYEDPVWN">ISAS</a>, from <a href="/facts/Uchinoura_Space_Center/qdxArHnD">Kagoshima pad L</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> </p><p>On February 11, 1970, the first Japanese <a href="/facts/Satellite/PTX8c68t">satellite</a> <a href="/facts/Ohsumi_(satellite)/9Iu5NJ8K">Ohsumi</a> was launched using a Lambda 4S rocket. </p><p>The Lambda 4S was launched nine times, though five were failures.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a> The first launch of the <a href="/facts/Lambda_4S/BpD9X8q1">Lambda 4S</a> rocket took place on September 26, 1966, from <a href="/facts/Uchinoura_Space_Center/qdxArHnD">Kagoshima</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a> A fourth-stage attitude control failed resulting in loss of the vehicle and payload. </p> List of Lambda launches<table><tbody><tr><th>Date</th><th>Version</th><th>Apogee (km)</th><th>Mission</th></tr><tr><td>1963 August 24</td><td>Lambda 2</td><td>51</td><td>Failure</td></tr><tr><td>1963 December 11</td><td>Lambda 2</td><td>410</td><td>Ionosphere mission</td></tr><tr><td>1964 July 11</td><td>Lambda 3</td><td>857</td><td>Ionosphere mission</td></tr><tr><td>1965 January 31</td><td>Lambda 3</td><td>1040</td><td>Ionosphere mission</td></tr><tr><td>1965 March 18</td><td>Lambda 3</td><td>1085</td><td>X-ray astronomy mission</td></tr><tr><td>1966 March 5</td><td>Lambda 3H</td><td>1829</td><td>X-ray astronomy mission</td></tr><tr><td>1966 July 23</td><td>Lambda 3H</td><td>1800</td><td>Gyro-plasma probe Ionosphere / aeronomy mission</td></tr><tr><td>1966 September 26</td><td>Lambda 4S</td><td>400</td><td><a href="/facts/Ohsumi_(satellite)/9Iu5NJ8K">Ohsumi</a> launch attempt. Failure: Fourth stage attitude control failed</td></tr><tr><td>1966 December 20</td><td>Lambda 4S</td><td>400</td><td>Ohsumi launch attempt. Failure: Fourth stage failed to ignite</td></tr><tr><td>1967 February 6</td><td>Lambda 3H</td><td>2150</td><td>Ionosphere / chemical release / x-ray astronomy mission</td></tr><tr><td>1967 April 13</td><td>Lambda 4S</td><td>200</td><td>Ohsumi launch attempt. Failure: Fourth stage failed to ignite</td></tr><tr><td>1969 January 16</td><td>Lambda 3H</td><td>1800</td><td>Ionosphere mission</td></tr><tr><td>1969 September 3</td><td>Lambda 4T</td><td>400</td><td>Test mission</td></tr><tr><td>1969 September 22</td><td>Lambda 4S</td><td>400</td><td>Ohsumi launch attempt. Failure: Fourth stage control system malfunction after third stage collided with fourth stage</td></tr><tr><td>1970 January 21</td><td>Lambda 3H</td><td>1848</td><td>Ionosphere / plasma mission</td></tr><tr><td>1970 February 11</td><td>Lambda 4S</td><td>2440</td><td>Ohsumi (first successful satellite of Japan, fifth attempt of Lambda 4S)</td></tr><tr><td>1970 September 19</td><td>Lambda 3H</td><td>2017</td><td>X-ray / ultraviolet astronomy mission</td></tr><tr><td>1971 August 20</td><td>Lambda 4SC</td><td>1500</td><td>Failure</td></tr><tr><td>1971 September 3</td><td>Lambda 3H</td><td>1718</td><td>Aeronomy / ionosphere / x-ray astronomy mission</td></tr><tr><td>1973 January 28</td><td>Lambda 4SC</td><td>1500</td><td>TVC test</td></tr><tr><td>1974 January 22</td><td>Lambda 3H</td><td>1571</td><td>St 2: 329 km X-ray astronomy mission</td></tr><tr><td>1974 September 1</td><td>Lambda 4SC</td><td>1500</td><td>TVC test</td></tr><tr><td>1976 August 30</td><td>Lambda 4SC</td><td>1500</td><td>Radar transponder</td></tr><tr><td>1977 August 16</td><td>Lambda 3H</td><td>1294</td><td>Aeronomy / ionosphere / plasma mission</td></tr><tr><td>1979 September 20</td><td>Lambda 4SC</td><td>82</td><td>TVC test</td></tr></tbody></table> <ul><li></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Lambda". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Krebs, Gunter D (2024). "L class". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Lambda 2". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda2.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda2.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Krebs, Gunter D (2024). "L class". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"LSC-3". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lsc-3.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lsc-3.html</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Lambda 3". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda3.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda3.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Krebs, Gunter D (2024). "L class". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Krebs, Gunter D (2024). "L class". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Lambda 3H". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda3h.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda3h.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Krebs, Gunter D (2024). "L class". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Lambda 4S". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda4s.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda4s.html</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"L-4S". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/l-4s.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/l-4s.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Krebs, Gunter D (2024). "L class". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"Lambda 4SC". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda4sc.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda4sc.html</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Krebs, Gunter D (2024). "L class". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>"Lambda 4T". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda4t.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda4t.html</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"A short history of the Prince Motor Co., Ltd". Nissan. Retrieved 2020-08-31. <a href="https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HERITAGE/short_story/en_p33-01.html" target="_blank">https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/HERITAGE/short_story/en_p33-01.html</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>"H-II Launch Vehicle". JAXA. Retrieved 2021-01-01. <a href="https://global.jaxa.jp/projects/rockets/h2/index.html" target="_blank">https://global.jaxa.jp/projects/rockets/h2/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>Krebs, Gunter D (2024). "L class". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>"Lambda". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda.html</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>Krebs, Gunter D (2024). "L class". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/l-class.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>"Lambda 4". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda4.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda4.html</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>"L-4S". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2024-02-20. <a href="https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/l-4s.htm" target="_blank">https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/l-4s.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>"Lambda 4S". www.astronautix.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09. <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda4s.html" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/l/lambda4s.html</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>