PLD Space

PLD Space, founded in 2011 by Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú, is an aerospace company developing partially reusable launch vehicles to provide orbital and suborbital access for small satellites. The founders, driven by a childhood passion for rockets, established the company to address the growing market for small satellite launches with a flexible and dedicated service. Torres serves as CEO, leading technical development, while Verdú is the CBDO, focused on business strategy.

The company's business model is to act as a launch service provider, selling payload capacity by the kilogram to a desired orbit, rather than selling hardware. Its clients include commercial and institutional customers, research institutes, and government agencies. This approach is designed to reduce costs and increase launch frequency through reusability.

PLD Space has developed the MIURA family of rockets. The MIURA 1 is a single-stage, suborbital recoverable launch vehicle designed for microgravity research and as a technological demonstrator for the larger MIURA 5. On October 7, 2023, the MIURA 1 had its successful maiden flight, making PLD Space the first private company in Europe to launch a rocket. This flight validated approximately 70% of the technology for the MIURA 5.

The MIURA 5 is a two-stage, partially reusable orbital rocket designed to place payloads of up to 1,000 kg into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). It offers dedicated and rideshare launch options and is capable of reaching various orbits, including GEO and lunar orbits with an optional kick stage. Commercial operations for the MIURA 5 are anticipated to begin in 2026, with plans to launch from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.

Headquartered in Elche, Spain, the company has vertically integrated its operations, including proprietary engine development, manufacturing, and testing facilities in Teruel, Huelva, and French Guiana. PLD Space has secured significant funding from a mix of private investors and public entities, including Aciturri, Arcano Partners, and Spain's Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI). Keywords: reusable rockets, small satellite launch, launch service provider, suborbital, orbital launch, Miura 1, Miura 5, European space industry, aerospace manufacturing, satellite deployment, microgravity research, space transportation, liquid propulsion, rocket engine, space access, cubesats, smallsats, launch vehicles, rocket technology, space exploration