1.
SLV ROCKET WHEELED OUT FROM HANGAR.
0.05

2.
GV CONTROL ROOM.
0.08

3.
CU CONTROLLER WATCHING TV SCREEN (2 SHOTS).
0.14

4.
CU PAN.. ROCKET.
0.21

5.
LV PEOPLE ARRIVING FOR LAUNCHING. (2 SHOTS).
0.28

6.
SV CROWD WAITING FOR LAUNCH.
0.30

7.
SV ROCKET ON LAUNCH GANTRY (2 SHOTS).
0.38

8.
CU CONTROLLER.
0.40

9.
LV ROCKET LAUNCHED.
0.54

10.
CU CAMERAMAN.
0.57

11.
CU RADAR TRACKING ROCKET.
1.02

12.
LV ROCKET CONTINUES FLIGHT.
1.08



Initials AA/S/WH/PB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: JAPAN LAUNCHED HER LARGEST ROCKET YET LAST SATURDAY FROM THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TIP OF KYUSHU ISLAND.THE ROCKET, LAMBDA-2, WAS BUILT UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE TOKYO UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF PRODUCTIVITY FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES.

THE LAMBDA-2 WENT SUCCESSFULLY AT FIRST TO A HEIGHT OF SOME 53 KILOMETRES BUT THEN APPARENTLY THE SECOND STAGE OF THE ROCKET FAILED TO IGNITE DUE TO AN ELECTRONICS FAILURE.A JAPANESE DESTROYER REPORTED SEEING THE ROCKET FALLING INTO THE SEA.

THE SIX-TON ROCKET CARRIED INSTRUMENTS WEIGHING 386 POUNDS (175 KILOS) AND HAD A THRUST EQUAL TO THE AMERICAN REDSTONE ROCKET WHICH PUT SHEPARD INTO SPACE IN 1961.IT WAS A SOLID-FUEL ROCKET -- THE LARGEST EVER BUILT FOR OBSERVATION PURPOSES.

PROFESSOR ITOKAWA ANNOUNCED THAT THE TOKYO UNIVERSITY WOULD LAUNCH ANOTHER LAMBDA-2 ROCKET NEXT DECEMBER.