• PLD Space gears up for new launch windows after successfully completing all auto-sequencing procedures and aborting the attempt on 17 June.
• The company has agreed with the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) to schedule new launch windows starting next September.
• High temperatures, compliance with current fire prevention regulations and coordination with Spain’s Guardia Civil to guarantee the safety zone, all key factors for the new dates.

Elche. 27 June 2023. PLD Space, the company that designs, develops, produces and operates the first private micro-launcher in Europe, has postponed the launch of MIURA 1 until next September after reaching an agreement with the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), belonging to Spain’s Ministry of Defence.

The postponement is motivated by obligatory compliance with the prevention of forest fires as set out in Law 43/2003 on Forestry; and Directive 03/19 of the Army Chief of Staff on "Actions against forest fires in military manoeuvre areas and firing ranges and other properties assigned to the Army", as well as the high temperatures recorded in Huelva and the necessary coordination with the Guardia Civil to ensure the safety of the area where the launch is carried out.

A successful pre-launch: 0.25 seconds away from making history.

After postponing the launch on 31 May due to high winds in Huelva, PLD Space had to abort the launch of MIURA 1 on 17 June because one of the umbilical cables connecting the rocket to the avionics bay was released with 0.25 seconds delay, which meant that the next umbilical cable was not released in time, prompting an automatic abort sequence that shut down the engines and stopped the launch. Both the rocket and the launch ramp are in perfect condition.

Raúl Torres, CEO and co-founder of PLD Space, highlights: "Launching a rocket designed from scratch is a major challenge and we successfully completed 99.9% of all pre-launch procedures up to the countdown. The entire pre-launch phase was a resounding success, and we are very close to successfully launching Europe's first reusable rocket, which has recovery and reusability requirements that only three companies have achieved in space history.

About PLD Space  

PLD Space is a leading reference in the aerospace sector and the first to develop a private rocket in Europe. Headquartered in Elche (Alicante), PLD Space designs, develops, manufactures and operates reusable orbital launchers that send small satellites into space in the form of the suborbital MIURA 1 and the orbital MIURA 5.  

PLD Space was founded in 2011 by Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú with the aim of increasing European access to space. Currently, the company -which has obtained more than 65 million in funding to date- has a workforce of more than 120 professionals distributed in three centres located in Elche, Teruel and Huelva, with a total of more than 20,000 m2 of industrial facilities.