Argentina launches rocket to conduct atmospheric research

Argentina successfully launched a rocket Monday after several failed attempts, a local government said in a statement. The rocket Gradicom II was launched at the Chamical Air Base in northern La Rioja province. The solid fuel-powered rocket was aimed to test-fly a prototype of two-stage rocket, which has a 120-second flight in the outer space, to conduct experiments with its systems and subsystems onboard. The rocket was 7,686 millimeters long and weighs 933 kilograms and was completely developed by Argentine scientists and technicians. The Gradicom II was launched to implement a new rocket program for civil and military use. It will set a "new stage for aerospace investigation" in Argentina, according to the statement. "This is a historic day for the people of La Rioja and, fundamentally, for Argentina," Governor Luis Beder said at the launching ceremony.