CELPA (El Chamical) ''(Centro de Experimentación y Lanzamiento de Proyectiles Autopropulsados)'' was a

rocket launch A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to Acceleration, accelerate without using the surrounding Atmosphere of Earth, air. A rocket engine produces thrust by Reaction (physics), reaction to exhaust ...

site in

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest ...

, near El Chamical, in the La Rioja Province. The launch site was in service between 1963 and 1973 and was mainly used for launching rockets of the types

Centaure Centaure or Le Centaure is the French name of the mythological creature the centaur, and may also refer to: Ships *, a French Navy ship in service from 1712 to 1756 *, a French Navy ship that sank in 1750 *, a 74-gun ship of the line of the Frenc ...

, Judi Dart, Orión,

Rigel Rigel is a blue supergiant star in the constellation of Orion. It has the Bayer designation β Orionis, which is Latinized to Beta Orionis and abbreviated Beta Ori or β Ori. Rigel is the brightest and most massive componentand ...

and Boosted Dart. A second CELPA compound was built in 1964 in

Mar Chiquita Mar Chiquita is a coastal lagoon in the southeast province of Buenos Aires in eastern Argentina. It is located by the Atlantic coast, 30 km north of Mar del Plata. The area is a natural reserve where a number of animal species live around ...

, north of

Mar del Plata Mar del Plata is a city on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the seat of General Pueyrredón district. Mar del Plata is the second largest city in Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" is a sh ...

, under the name of CELPA Atlántico.

External links

Launch chronology 1962-74, at Astronautix.com

Space programme of Argentina Rocket launch sites in Argentina Science and technology in Argentina Government of Argentina La Rioja Province, Argentina {{rocketry-stub

See also

External links