When the Miura 1 launched in October 2023 from the Médano del Oro launch base in Huelva, Spain, it marked an unprecedented milestone in Europe’s space race: it was the first rocket fully developed and launched by a private company on the continent.
Behind this historic moment stood PLD Space, a Spanish company determined to lead Europe’s new space race with a “conservative” approach.
Now, all its eyes are on the launch of its next rocket, the Miura 5, scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.
From Miura 1 to Miura 5
Miura 1 was not designed as a commercial rocket, but rather as a technology demonstrator.
As Raúl Verdú, co-founder of PLD Space, told Novobrief, it served as a “testing platform” where they developed, tested, and validated all the key equipment, components, and subsystems necessary for the future of their rockets.
“We did all the research and development with Miura 1. Also, all the team training. With that, we managed to reduce the cost and time risks of launching a space rocket,” says Verdú.
This cautious approach, in contrast to other space startups that attempt to jump directly into developing orbital vehicles without prior experience, has been one of PLD Space’s key differentiators. “This is the most conservative way to reach orbit,” he says.
The leap from Miura 1 to Miura 5 is not just about size. Going from 12 to 36 meters in length. Despite the size jump, according to Verdú, it does not imply three times the complexity, since many of the technologies have already been tested.
The Miura 5 is designed to be a reusable rocket capable of placing payloads of up to 1 ton into a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit.
Today, PLD Space is in the assembly and vehicle preparation phase, getting ready for transport to the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana.
Full Ownership of Technology
One of PLD Space’s major assets, according to Verdú, is its technological self-sufficiency. Unlike other companies that rely on external suppliers, he emphasizes that PLD Space owns all the technologies that make up its rockets.
A PLD Space rocket relies on four main pillars:
- The engine, the company’s “core,” which they’ve been developing for over 10 years.
- The fuselage, or structure, developed largely during the Miura 1 process.
- The software, which functions as the brain of the vehicle.
- The ground technology, which includes everything from the launch pad to communication systems between the rocket and control center.
PLD Space has no plans to sell this technology. Its business model is not that of a hardware manufacturer, but of a service provider: “we are more like a carrier than a vehicle manufacturer.”
What Does PLD Space Sell?
Essentially, PLD Space is like an astro trucking company. It sells kilograms launched into orbit.
Its service is calculated based on the customer’s desired weight, volume, and orbit type. From there, the client decides what to do with the payload: leave it in orbit, return it, or connect it with other operations. PLD’s goal is to launch the same rocket multiple times, reducing costs through reuse. Other well-known space cargo providers include SpaceX, Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space, all of which offer commercial cargo services to low Earth orbit and beyond.
The company envisions three types of space missions. Earth observation, meteorological agencies, spy satellites. Telecommunications satellites, antennas. Navigation and positioning, GPS.
Average launch rates start at over 10 million EUR, according to Verdú. He adds that they already have committed contracts exceeding 50 million EUR for Miura 5.
Their medium-term goal is to generate over 400 million EUR annually by 2030, with more than 30 launches per year.
In the long term, they are also planning the development of Miura Next, a medium-sized rocket capable of launching up to 13 tons — a move that would place them in direct competition with the heavyweights of the medium rocket sector, as for example: Falcon 9 from SpaceX. (Miura 1 is considered a small rocket).
Spain: Pioneers by Necessity?
In the Spanish market context, PLD Space believes it has no direct competition. “We’re leaders because we’re the only ones,” said Verdú.
While other initiatives in the space sector exist, such as Orbital Paradigm, they operate in very different verticals — like satellite maintenance in orbit. To reach that orbit, however, they need transport services like those PLD Space offers. “They could use SpaceX, or they could use PLD Space.”
This temporary monopoly has allowed PLD Space to position itself as a reference and attract talent and investment in a country that, until recently, didn’t feature on the European space map.
Europe: How Many Rockets Behind the U.S. or China?
private European company that has already successfully launched a rocket and is about to launch a second one. We’re closer to commercial launch readiness than anyone else.”
Verdú also believes PLD Space is pioneering another key area among its European peers: spaceport operations. In Kourou, French Guiana, they operate from a base very close to the equator, which allows for more efficient launches into virtually any orbit.
Some of PLD Space’s current European competitors include: RFA and Isar Aerospace (Germany), Orbex (UK), and MaiaSpace (France).
Still, PLD Space emphasizes that its real differentiation lies in a core principle: they only innovate where it directly impacts the customer. “Like airplanes, which haven’t changed much in the last 40 years, we offer proven, reliable technology — not novelty for novelty’s sake.”
While others invest in cutting-edge developments that might risk delays or costs, PLD Space bets on what already works.
The Real European Challenge
According to Verdú, just a decade ago the biggest barrier for companies like PLD Space in Europe was credibility. Unlike the United States or China, where private investment in space was already a proven reality, Europe still doubted that a startup could succeed in the industry. “That hurdle is now behind us. People now expect it to happen.”
The new challenge lies elsewhere: launch frequency. Verdú notes that while rockets are launched every week in the U.S. or China, Europe only sees a handful per year.
In PLD Space’s view, if the continent truly wants to compete, it must change its model and allow the private sector to take a leading role in space programs — as is clearly the case with SpaceX.
The comparison to SpaceX comes from PLD Space itself. They know Elon Musk’s company plays in a different league — with much greater launch capacities, heavy rockets, and billion-dollar contracts with agencies like NASA or the U.S. Department of Defense.
Those are the very obstacles Verdú highlights in Europe’s space race.