In 1964, the rocket group and theInstitute of Aeronautics, along withscientific ballooning team, were merged to formInstitute of Space and Aeronautical Science (宇宙航空研究所,Uchū kōkū kenkyūjo) within the University of Tokyo. The rocket evolved into theL (Lambda) series, and, in 1970, L-4S-5 was launched as Japan's first artificial satelliteOhsumi.
AlthoughLambda rockets were only sounding rockets, the next generation ofM (Mu) rockets was intended to be satellite launch vehicles from the start. Beginning in 1971, ISAS launched a series ofscientific satellites to observe theionosphere andmagnetosphere. Since the launch ofHakucho in 1979, ISAS has hadX-ray astronomy satellites consecutively in orbit, until it was briefly terminated by the launch failure ofASTRO-E.
In 1981, as a part of university system reform, and for the mission expansion, ISAS was spun out from University of Tokyo as an inter-university national research organization,Institute of Space and Astronautical Science.
ISAS was responsible for launching Japan's first interplanetary probes,Sakigake andSuisei, toHalley's Comet in 1985. It also launchedHiten, Japan's first lunar probe, in 1990. TheNozomi probe was launched in 1998 in an attempt to orbit Mars, but the spacecraft suffered system failures and was unable to enter orbit. In 2003, ISAS launched theHayabusa spacecraft, the first asteroid sample return mission in the world.
Later in 2003, three national aerospace organizations including ISAS were merged to formJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The English nameInstitute of Space and Astronautical Science is still used, although the Japanese name was changed to 宇宙科学研究本部 (literally,Space Science Research Division, whereas the previous name's literal translation wasSpace Science Laboratory). In 2010, the name was changed back to the previousUchū kagaku kenkyūjo (宇宙科学研究所). Under JAXA, ISAS continues to be responsible for space-based astronomy, and lunar and planetary exploration missions.
