L series (Japanese rockets)
L-4S #5 on its launch pad.
The Lambda series, or L series, was Japan's first family of orbital launch vehicles. The rockets in this family were effectively scaled-up versions of the solid-propellant Kappa sounding rockets. The fifth launch of an L-4S placed Japan's first artificial satellite, Ohsumi, in orbit on February 11, 1970.
| Data for the L-4S #5 that launched Japan's first satellite | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st st. | SOB | 2nd st. | 3rd st. | 4th st. | ||
| total length | m | 16.522 | 5.772 | 8.141 | 4.067 | 1.104 |
| weight (ig.) | kg | 9399.0 | 1005.0 | 3417.6 | 943.1 | 111.0 |
| weight (b.o.) | kg | 4507.0 | 381.0 | 1562.5 | 394.9 | 23.05 |
| propellant weight | kg | 3887.0 | 624.0 | 1845.0 | 547.5 | 87.95 |
| mass ratio |
|
1.982 | 2.187 | 2.388 | 4.816 | |
| specific impulse | sec | 215.0 | 220.0 | 242.9 | 249.3 | 254.0 |
| center of gravity (ig.) | % | 59.0 | 52.9 | 63.0 | 61.8 | 64.5 |
| center of gravity (b.o.) | % | 43.2 | 54.3 | 49.6 | 44.8 | 55.7 |
| Ix (ig.) | kg.m.sec2 | 79.89 | 25.48 | 3.52 | 0.259 | |
| Iy (b.o.) | kg.m.sec2 | 16192 | 1259.4 | 99.71 | 0.436 | |
| net payload | kg | 6.6 | 36.3 | 7.62 | ||
| gross payload | kg | 7.6 | 96.1 | 8.42 | ||
| maximum diameter | mm | 767.0 | 310.0 | 767.0 | 548.0 | 483.0 |