PLD Space
Company Information
What Is PLD Space?
PLD Space is an aerospace company developing reusable launch vehicles and liquid rocket propulsion systems for commercial and institutional space transportation. Its MIURA family includes the MIURA 1 suborbital demonstrator, MIURA 5 orbital launch vehicle, and the larger MIURA Next rocket family under development. The company designs and manufactures its own rocket engines, structures, avionics, and launch systems. Its work focuses on independent European access to space, supporting satellite deployment and the development of reusable transportation infrastructure for future orbital missions.
What Does PLD Space Do?
PLD Space develops rockets and launch services for organizations that need to transport satellites and other payloads into space. Its MIURA 5 vehicle is designed to deliver small satellites to low Earth orbit, sun-synchronous orbit, and other orbital destinations through dedicated and rideshare missions.
The company manages rocket design, propulsion manufacturing, systems integration, and flight qualification using facilities in Spain. It also develops launch infrastructure at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, where MIURA 5 is being prepared for orbital operations.
PLD Space provides customers with customizable launch configurations based on payload mass, orbital destination, and mission scheduling requirements. Its longer-term development programs include larger reusable launch vehicles intended to support higher-capacity commercial and institutional space missions.
PLD Space Technology
PLD Space develops liquid-propellant rocket engines, reusable launch vehicle structures, avionics, flight control software, and recovery technologies. Its propulsion systems use liquid oxygen and kerosene-based propellants, with engine designs tailored to different stages of flight. The company’s TEPREL engine family has evolved from the pressure-fed TEPREL-B used on MIURA 1 to the turbopump-fed TEPREL-C engines developed for MIURA 5.
MIURA 5 uses five TEPREL-C engines on its first stage, each designed to generate approximately 190 kilonewtons of thrust at sea level. Its second stage uses a vacuum-optimized TEPREL-C engine producing approximately 75 kilonewtons. These engines incorporate regenerative cooling systems that circulate propellant through engine structures to manage temperatures during combustion.
The company also develops reusable rocket recovery technology, including first-stage recovery systems and a roadmap toward propulsive landing. Its launch vehicle architecture combines aluminum and composite structures, onboard guidance and navigation systems, stage separation mechanisms, and automated flight control.
PLD Space manufactures and tests major subsystems internally, including propellant tanks, electronic control systems, engines, and ground support equipment. Its MIURA 5 qualification program includes integrated stage testing, propulsion verification, structural assessments, and launch-system validation before orbital flight.
Why PLD Space Matters
Access to orbital launch services is essential for satellite operators, government space programs, and organizations developing space-based infrastructure. European satellite manufacturers have historically depended on a limited number of launch providers, creating scheduling and capacity constraints for smaller missions.
PLD Space is developing commercially operated European launch infrastructure that could expand access to orbit for small and medium-sized satellites. Its vertically integrated approach combines rocket manufacturing, propulsion development, qualification testing, and launch operations within a coordinated industrial system.
The company’s work on reusable launch vehicles and scalable rocket production is also relevant to the growing demand for dedicated satellite launches. Its participation in the European Launcher Challenge connects its commercial development programs with broader efforts to strengthen Europe’s independent space transportation capabilities.
PLD Space Products & Platforms
MIURA 1 — Suborbital Launch Vehicle
MIURA 1 is a single-stage suborbital rocket developed to validate propulsion, flight control, structural, and recovery technologies. It completed its first flight on October 7, 2023, from the El Arenosillo launch facility in Spain. The mission provided flight data used to support the development of subsequent MIURA launch vehicles.
MIURA 5 — Orbital Launch Vehicle
MIURA 5 is a two-stage orbital rocket designed for dedicated and rideshare satellite missions. The vehicle uses six TEPREL-C engines across its two stages and supports different orbital destinations, including low Earth and sun-synchronous orbits. Its development program includes reusable first-stage technology and an optional kick stage for additional mission flexibility.
TEPREL — Rocket Engine Family
TEPREL is PLD Space’s proprietary family of liquid rocket engines. The TEPREL-B powered MIURA 1, while the TEPREL-C and its vacuum variant are being developed for MIURA 5. The engines use liquid oxygen and kerosene-based propellants and incorporate cooling, turbomachinery, and combustion systems designed for different flight environments.
MIURA Next — Heavy-Lift Launch Vehicle Family
MIURA Next is a family of larger reusable orbital launch vehicles under development. The core vehicle is designed for payload capacities exceeding 13 metric tons, extending PLD Space’s transportation roadmap beyond small satellite launches. Its architecture builds on propulsion, manufacturing, and recovery technologies being developed through the MIURA 5 program.
PLD Space Applications
PLD Space’s launch vehicles are designed for commercial satellite deployment, including Earth observation, telecommunications, scientific research, and technology demonstration missions. MIURA 5 supports dedicated launches for customers requiring specific orbital destinations and rideshare missions that accommodate multiple spacecraft.
Its launch infrastructure is also relevant to government and defense satellite programs seeking independent access to orbit and greater control over mission scheduling. The company’s rocket propulsion technology supports the development of reusable launch systems and higher-capacity space transportation vehicles.
Future applications include deployment of larger satellite constellations, institutional space missions, and transportation systems requiring greater payload capacity. The MIURA Next development program extends these capabilities toward heavier orbital payloads and longer-term space transportation requirements.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Has PLD Space successfully launched a rocket?
Yes. PLD Space launched its MIURA 1 suborbital rocket on October 7, 2023, from the El Arenosillo facility in Spain. The mission reached an altitude of approximately 46 kilometers and completed its primary flight objectives, providing data on propulsion, vehicle control, and flight performance. MIURA 5, its orbital launch vehicle, has not yet completed its first flight.
When is the first MIURA 5 orbital launch scheduled?
As of November 2026, PLD Space is targeting the first half of 2027 for MIURA 5’s initial demonstration flight. The company is conducting integrated stage qualification, propulsion testing, and launch infrastructure preparations before the mission. Its planned launch site is the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana.
What fuel does the MIURA 5 rocket use?
MIURA 5 uses liquid oxygen and RP-1 kerosene-based fuel in its TEPREL-C rocket engines. Five engines power the first stage, while a vacuum-optimized engine powers the second stage. The propulsion system uses regenerative cooling to manage engine temperatures during operation.
Can MIURA 5 launch multiple satellites on one mission?
Yes. MIURA 5 is designed to support dedicated, rideshare, and piggyback launch configurations. Dedicated missions allow a customer to select specific orbital and scheduling requirements, while rideshare missions accommodate multiple payloads on the same rocket. An optional kick stage extends the vehicle’s orbital deployment flexibility.
Is PLD Space developing larger rockets beyond MIURA 5?
Yes. PLD Space is developing MIURA Next, a family of larger reusable orbital launch vehicles. The core MIURA Next configuration is designed for payload capacities exceeding 13 metric tons. The program builds on propulsion, manufacturing, and recovery technologies developed for MIURA 5 and is intended to support future higher-capacity space transportation missions.
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