PLD Space Prepares to Make History with First Launch Next Month

PLD Space, a Spain based launch service provider is preparing for the maiden flight of their reusable rocket, named "Miura 1", which is set to take place next month. This marks a significant milestone for the company, which was founded in 2011 with the goal of goal to provide easy and frequent access to space with their orbital and suborbital launch vehicles.

In a tweet, PLD co-founder Raúl Torres says the pad is built, and the team is targeting next month for a launch of the suborbital launch vehicle.

[tweet https://twitter.com/RaulTorresPLD/status/1626288882034655233]

About PLD Space

PLD Headquarters // Credit: PLD Space

PLD Space is a European space company founded in 2011 with the aim of developing technology and services to make space more accessible and affordable. The company is based in Spain, with its main headquarters located in the city of Elche.

PLD Space is focused on the development of small launch vehicles for small satellites, as well as the development of rocket engines and related technologies. The company's first rocket, the Miura 1, is a reusable suborbital rocket designed for scientific and technological research missions. The Miura 1 rocket is designed to be launched from a mobile platform and has a maximum altitude of approx. 100km.

The company is also developing a larger rocket, the Miura 5, which is designed to carry small payloads to low Earth orbit. The Miura 5 is a two-stage rocket that uses liquid-propellant engines and is capable of carrying payloads of up to 300 kilograms.

PLD Space has partnerships with various organisations, including the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Spanish Ministry of Defence, and has received funding from both private investors and government agencies.

About Miura 1

Miura 1 // Credit: PLD Space

Miura 1 is a suborbital rocket developed by PLD Space, which is designed to conduct scientific and technological research missions. The rocket is named after the Japanese mathematician and engineer Shingō Miura.

The Miura 1 rocket is a reusable vehicle that uses liquid oxygen and kerosene as propellants for its engines which burn for 122 seconds. It has a total length of 12.7 meters and a diameter of 0.7 meters, with a liftoff weight of around 2,550 kilograms. The rocket is designed to be launched from a mobile platform, which can be transported to different launch sites as needed.

Miura 1 is capable of reaching altitudes of up to around 100km, which is above the Kármán line that marks the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and space. The rocket is equipped with a payload compartment that can carry up to 100 kilograms of scientific or technological instruments, making it suitable for a variety of research missions.

The rocket's design includes a parachute system for recovery, which allows for the rocket to be reused for multiple launches. The rocket is designed to land in the ocean, where it can be retrieved and refurbished for future missions.