Science/Valencian Community/Elche / Kourou
Elche rocket maker PLD Space and France's CNES study a second launch pad in French Guiana
The pad would serve the Miura 5 and the larger Miura 9. The first orbital flight of Miura 5 is now expected in 2027.
PIPablo Iriarte, science and sport reporter
· 2 min
- Who
- PLD Space (Elche) and CNES
- Where
- ELM-Diamant complex, Guiana Space Centre
- Miura 5
- Up to 540 kg to sun-synchronous orbit
- Miura 9
- Up to 1,500 kg
- Region
- Valencian Community
Sources appear in the margin next to the paragraph they support.
PLD Space, the rocket company based in Elche, has signed an agreement with the French space agency CNES to support its launch operations at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou. Under the deal, both sides will study whether a second launch pad can be built at the ELM-Diamant complex for the Miura 5 and Miura 9 rockets.1
Miura 5 is designed to put up to 540 kilos into sun-synchronous orbit. Miura 9, the larger follow-on, should be able to carry up to 1,500 kilos. Both are part of PLD Space's contract with the European Space Agency under the European Launcher Challenge.1
First flight in 2027
In September, the head of ESA's Ariane programme, Lois Laurent, said the first flight of Miura 5 would come in 2027, with two possible windows in the first and second quarters. PLD Space says the change is only a matter of months and that it will launch when the rocket is fully reliable.23
The company became the first private Spanish firm to design, build and launch a rocket when its suborbital Miura 1 flew in 2023.2
Checked by Pablo Iriarte against 3 sources. Something wrong? Tell the desk · Corrections
Pablo Iriarte is a science and sport reporter based in València. Pablo trained as a physicist, then swapped the lab for a newsroom. He follows Spain's space industry and, at weekends, its tennis players.