PLD Space

Based in Spain, PLD Space is a developer of reusable rockets for the launch of small satellites. The company is developing two launch vehicles: the MIURA 1 suborbital and MIURA 5 orbital rockets, with the capacity to successfully send small satellites to space. The company ​​had plans to launch its MIURA 1 prototype by the end of 2022 and engage in the first real space transport mission with MIURA 5 in 2025. The company successfully completed a full mission test of MIURA 1 in September 2022 after carrying out two static fire engine tests in early 2022. 

The company had its first launch in October 2023, launching Europe’s first-ever reusable rocket launch MIURA 1, carrying a payload for the German Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) on board. 

In October 2024, PLD Space unveiled MIURA Next, its new family of reusable rockets, and LINCE, which it claimed was Europe's first private manned capsule. The company also reported MIURA 5 would launch from French Guiana in 2025 and that LINCE would begin testing in 2025, with its first unmanned test flight and first orbital flight scheduled for 2028 and 2030. 

Key customers and partnerships

PLD Space signed an MOU with Arianespace in June 2023, providing PLD Space access to Arianespace’s customer base to offer its small satellite launch services. The company partnered with WISeKey in September 2023 to integrate and launch WISeKey’s VaultIC408 picosatellite element for Quantum-Ready IoT communications.

PLD Space and Exolaunch partnered in May 2024 to collaboratively enhance launch services, including integrating MIURA 5 with Exolaunch’s CarboNIX ring-based separation system, the EXOpod and EXOpod Nova containerized deployment systems, and the EXOtube universal modular adapter.