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Spain is preparing to make its mark on the global space industry in 2026, with Alicante-based PLD Space on the verge of launching its MIURA 5 rocket, a milestone that will place the country among a handful of nations and private companies capable of delivering satellites into orbit independently.

 

PLD Space was founded in 2011 by engineers Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú, and the company has been building towards this moment ever since.

 

The first major breakthrough came in October 2023, when their MIURA 1 became the first European private rocket to reach space, validating its propulsion and guidance systems and announcing Spain's arrival as a credible player in the so-called New Space movement, the wave of private companies reshaping the aerospace industry.

 

The MIURA 5 is a significant step up. Standing 37.5 metres tall, roughly the height of a 12-storey building, it's powered by TEPREL-C engines using bio-kerosene and liquid oxygen, and will be capable of putting satellites weighing just over a tonne into low Earth orbit.

 

The launch will take place from the Kourou facility in French Guiana.

 

"More than a definitive countdown, we are experiencing this phase as a progressive validation where we are unlocking very relevant milestones with agility, which is key to guaranteeing the reliability of the system," CEO Raúl Torres explained.

 

The first two flights of the MIURA 5 are designed as validation and learning missions rather than fully commercial ones, reflecting the company's focus on getting the technology right before scaling up.

 

One of the rocket's most important features is its reusability. Rather than the first stage being lost after launch, PLD Space is working towards recovering and reusing it to bring down long-term costs, following a model that has transformed the economics of the industry elsewhere.

 

"The goal is to evolve from controlled recovery to operational reuse as the systems mature," Mr Torres said.

 

PLD Space has raised more than €350 million to date, including a recent €180 million round led by Mitsubishi Electric, alongside €169 million in state support through Spain's PERTE Aerospace programme.

 

That backing has already translated into real commercial agreements, including a deal with Sateliot to launch 5G satellites in 2027, which will mark the first fully Spanish private space mission.

 

Image: PLD Space