PLD Space
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Raúl Torres, Raúl Verdú, José E. Martínez |
| Headquarters | Elche , Spain |
Area served | Global (space launch services) |
| Products | Miura 1, Miura 5, Miura Next, Lince |
Number of employees | 70 (2019) |
Payload Aerospace S.L. (commonly known as PLD Space) is a Spanish aerospace firm focused on creating two partially reusable launch vehicles: Miura 1 and Miura 5.
Miura 1 functions as a sounding rocket designed for conducting sub-orbital experiments and advancing technology in microgravity conditions and the upper atmosphere. It also acts as a prototype to validate technologies for the orbital launcher Miura 5, which is engineered to place payloads up to into low Earth orbit. The Miura 5 vehicle aims at the small satellite segment, including CubeSat deployments, offering adaptable and dedicated launch solutions. Its first stage is recovered using parachute systems followed by a splashdown for refurbishment and reuse.
History
Established in 2011 by Raúl Torres, Raúl Verdú, and José E. Martínez in Elche, Spain, PLD Space expanded to a workforce of 70 employees by 2019. In August 2017, the company relocated its headquarters to modern facilities within Elche Industrial Park, where assembly of the Miura 1 rocket takes place.
Since 2014, PLD Space has operated a liquid engine test facility at Teruel Airport, where it achieved Spain’s inaugural liquid-fuel rocket engine test on — marking a significant private-sector accomplishment in Europe. Future plans include enhancing this site with a vertical test stand dedicated to full qualification testing of the Miura 1 vehicle.
In August 2018, PLD Space obtained a 25-year lease at Teruel Airport with an option to extend by an additional 10 years. The company invested €1 million to establish infrastructure such as a control center, office spaces, maintenance hangar, and a comprehensive test bench for Miura 1 validation.
November 2018 saw PLD Space entering into a collaboration with the INTA to conduct Miura 1 launches from El Arenosillo, fostering cooperation in scientific research and aerospace development.
By July 2019, an agreement was reached with CNES to explore launching Miura 5 from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. INTA is supporting site acquisition efforts, identifying the El Hierro Launch Centre as a leading technical candidate.
As of March 2023, PLD Space scheduled the inaugural Miura 1 launch for the second quarter of that year from the El Arenosillo Test Centre. This launch successfully took place on at 0:19 UTC.
Funding
Up to , PLD Space has secured financing through several funding rounds involving both institutional investors and private stakeholders.
By 2013, approximately had been raised, including capital from an investment round and an initial contract with the Spanish Government via the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI).
In December 2015, PLD Space obtained its first commercial agreement as part of the Small Innovative Launcher for Europe (SMILE) initiative with the European Commission and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), focusing on liquid propulsion engine testing at Teruel Airport. In April 2016, additional funds amounting to were granted under Spain's TEPREL program to further liquid rocket engine development—crucial for producing a flight-qualified engine rated at .
In October 2016, the European Space Agency (ESA) appointed PLD Space as the lead contractor for the "Liquid Propulsion Stage Recovery" (LPSR) project within ESA's Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP), targeting partial reusability of first stages with funding totaling .
A subsequent investment round completed in January 2017 raised , including participation from GMV, which developed avionics systems for both Miura launchers covering guidance, navigation, control, telemetry, and onboard software functions.
January 2018 brought further support when PLD Space received from the European Commission’s SME Instrument Phase 2 under Horizon 2020 to aid small satellite launcher development. In February that year, ESA selected PLD Space among five firms for a feasibility study on cost-effective microlaunchers with funding of .
In September 2020, PLD Space finalized a Series B financing round totaling , led by Arcano Partners.
Miura 1
Miura 1 represents a single-stage suborbital launcher and is the first European rocket explicitly engineered for reusability from its inception. It is propelled by the TEPREL-B engine, which is designed and manufactured by PLD Space.
Miura 5
Standing 35.7 meters tall, Miura 5 is a two-stage rocket capable of delivering payloads up to 1,080 kilograms into low Earth orbit. This vehicle is driven by a cluster of five TEPREL-C engines.
Miura Next
The Miura Next series comprises a range of partially reusable launch vehicles currently in development. The standard model includes a single-core first stage booster paired with an upper stage. The Heavy configuration integrates three cores, whereas the Super Heavy version utilizes five cores. Each booster is equipped with five closed-cycle oxidizer-rich engines fueled by RP-1 and liquid oxygen, generating thrust exceeding 1100 kN. The structural components are constructed using aluminum composite materials. The single-core variant targets operational readiness by 2030, with the Heavy model expected to follow within one to two years.
Lince
Lince (Lynx) is a capsule project designed for crewed missions and cargo transport, weighing approximately 5 tons, with a diameter of 3.2 meters and an internal volume of 8 cubic meters. It is capable of accommodating four to five astronauts or transporting up to 3.4 tons of cargo to low Earth orbit.
Facilities
PLD Space’s main headquarters and manufacturing plant are situated in Elche, Spain, complemented by additional operational sites:
PLD Space Propulsion Test Facilities
These facilities, located at Teruel Airport, are dedicated to the development and testing of rocket engines.
El Arenosillo Test Centre
Under an agreement with the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, PLD Space utilizes the El Arenosillo Test Centre (CEDEA) for launching Miura 1 vehicles and conducting tests for Miura 5.
Guiana Space Centre
PLD Space holds a concession covering 15,765 square meters within the ELM launch complex at the Guiana Space Centre. Currently, construction is in progress to establish a launch pad, integration hangar, clean room facilities, control center, and commercial office spaces to support launch operations.