 | |
 Headquarters of PLD Space in Elche, Spain | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Launch service provider |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Raúl Torres, Raúl Verdú and José Enrique Martínez |
| Fate | Active |
| Headquarters | |
Key people | Raúl Torres (co-founder & CEO); Raúl Verdú (co-founder & COO) |
| Products | TEPREL rocket engine Miura 1 rocket Miura 5 rocket |
| Services | Suborbital & orbital rocket launch; Rocket engine testing |
Number of employees | 200 (May 2024) |
| Website | pldspace.com |
Payload Aerospace S.L. (PLD Space) is a Spanish company developing two partially-reusable launch vehicles called Miura 1 and Miura 5.
Miura 1 is designed as a sounding rocket for sub-orbital flights to perform research or technology development in microgravity environment and/or in the upper atmosphere. Furthermore, Miura 1 is also serving as the technological demonstrator of the orbital launcher Miura 5. Miura 5 will provide orbital launch capabilities for small payloads such as CubeSats, that need a flexible and dedicated launch vehicle and therefore can not fly with traditional launch vehicles. It is being designed to deliver a total payload mass up to 900 kg (2,000 lb) into low Earth orbit.[1][2]
Recovery of the first stage would be by the use of parachutes and splashdown for re-use.
- ^ Henry, Caleb (28 November 2018). "PLD Space, after ESA input, doubles lift capacity of smallsat launcher". SpaceNews. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
- ^ Henry, Caleb (30 November 2016). "Spanish propulsion startup wants to build Europe's first reusable rockets". SpaceNews. Retrieved 3 March 2019.