Spanish aerospace startup PLD Space is intensifying development of its reusable orbital launcher MIURA 5, aiming to conduct its maiden flight by mid-2025. Following the successful suborbital launch of MIURA 1 in October 2023, the company is positioning itself as a key player in Europe’s effort to regain autonomous access to space amid Ariane 6 delays and rising global competition in the small satellite launch market.
From Suborbital Success to Orbital Ambition
PLD Space’s October 2023 flight of the MIURA 1 suborbital rocket marked a critical milestone for Spain’s domestic space industry. Launched from El Arenosillo Test Center (CEDEA), the single-stage vehicle reached an altitude of approximately 46 kilometers before splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean. While it fell short of its target apogee (80–100 km), the mission validated key technologies including structural integrity under dynamic loads, telemetry systems, and recovery procedures.
More importantly, MIURA 1 served as a technology demonstrator for MIURA 5—PLD Space’s flagship orbital-class launcher. According to company CTO Raúl Verdú, over 70% of subsystems tested on MIURA 1 are directly applicable to MIURA 5. This includes avionics architecture, propulsion components (based on kerosene-liquid oxygen engines), and reusability design features such as parachute deployment and splashdown recovery.
MIURA 5 Design and Performance Goals
The MIURA 5 is a two-stage reusable small satellite launcher designed to deliver up to 540 kg into Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) at around 500 km altitude. It stands approximately 30 meters tall with a diameter of about two meters. The first stage will be powered by five TEPREL-C engines—kerolox engines developed in-house by PLD Space—while the upper stage will use a single vacuum-optimized variant.
Key performance specifications include:
- Payload capacity: ~540 kg to SSO
- First stage propulsion: Five TEPREL-C engines (~30 kN each)
- Reusability: Parachute-based recovery system for first stage
- Launch site: CSG Kourou (ELA-1), French Guiana
- Target inaugural flight: Q2–Q3 of 2025
The launcher is designed with rapid turnaround and cost-efficiency in mind—a direct response to growing demand from commercial operators seeking dedicated rideshare alternatives outside U.S.-based providers like Rocket Lab or SpaceX.
Kourou Launch Pad Revamp and ESA Collaboration
A critical enabler for MIURA 5’s deployment is the refurbishment of ELA-1 at Europe’s Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in Kourou—previously used for Ariane launches until decommissioned in the early ’90s. In late March 2024, France’s CNES awarded a contract worth €45 million (~$49 million) for site modernization tailored specifically for light-lift vehicles like MIURA 5.
The revamped ELA-1 will feature upgraded propellant storage systems compatible with kerolox fuels, new telemetry infrastructure, and integration facilities optimized for rapid horizontal processing—a departure from Ariane’s vertical assembly model. CNES has stated that this investment aligns with broader European Commission goals under Horizon Europe and ESA’s Boost! program aimed at fostering commercial access-to-space initiatives.
This strategic alignment places PLD Space alongside other emerging European players such as Germany’s Isar Aerospace (Spectrum) and Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA One), both targeting similar payload classes but relying on different propulsion architectures (e.g., staged combustion vs gas-generator cycles).
A Crowded Field: Europe’s Race for Small Launcher Supremacy
The global smallsat launcher market is increasingly competitive. While U.S.-based companies dominate current orbital launches under ~1 ton payload class—with Rocket Lab’s Electron leading over two dozen successful missions—Europe has yet to field an operational equivalent.
Arianespace’s Vega-C remains grounded due to solid motor issues; meanwhile ArianeGroup’s heavy-lift Ariane 6 has suffered repeated delays into late-2024 or beyond. This capability gap has created urgency within ESA and national governments to support private sector solutions like PLD Space.
Other notable contenders include:
- Isar Aerospace (Germany): Spectrum rocket targeting ~1 ton payloads; maiden flight expected late-2024.
- RFA Augsburg (Germany): RFA One vehicle using staged combustion; targeting mid-2024 debut from SaxaVord spaceport (UK).
- SAB Launch Services (Italy): Working on micro-launcher concepts derived from sounding rocket heritage.
If successful by mid-2025, PLD could become the first EU-based firm to field a reusable light orbital launcher—a major strategic win given current geopolitical sensitivities around launch sovereignty and dual-use technologies.
Ahead on Reusability? Technical Challenges Remain
Unlike most European competitors focused on expendable designs or partial reusability concepts (e.g., engine recovery only), PLD aims for full-stage reuse via parachute splashdown—a model reminiscent of early Blue Origin New Shepard flights or NASA sounding rockets rather than Falcon-style propulsive landings.
This approach reduces complexity but introduces challenges related to saltwater corrosion, structural fatigue from ocean impact forces, and post-recovery refurbishment logistics. During post-MIURA-1 analysis in Q4/2023–Q1/2024, engineers identified several areas needing reinforcement including fairing seals and parachute deployment timing algorithms—all being addressed ahead of full-scale booster drop tests planned later this year off Spain’s southern coast.
A Roadmap Toward Commercial Operations by Late Decade
If its maiden flight succeeds in mid-to-late-2025 as planned—and if reusability proves viable—PLD intends to scale up production at its Teruel facility with up to eight launches per year by end-of-decade. The company also plans future variants including enhanced upper stages capable of precise orbit insertion or multi-payload deployments via ESPA rings or modular dispensers.
The broader strategic vision includes potential expansion into dual-use markets such as defense ISR satellites or rapid-response tactical launches—areas where sovereign access is increasingly prioritized amid rising tensions across Eastern Europe and Indo-Pacific theaters.
Conclusion: A Bellwether for Europe’s Commercial Launch Future?
The success—or failure—of PLD Space’s MIURA program will likely shape perceptions around Europe’s ability to foster agile commercial launch capabilities independently of legacy state-backed programs like Ariane or Vega. With technical milestones accelerating and public-private support aligning across ESA/CNES frameworks, Spain may soon emerge not just as a participant—but as a leader—in shaping Europe’s next-generation space access strategy.
