PLD Space accelerates Miura 5 toward 2026 debut with milestones update

Date:
Thu, 29 Jan 2026 22:55:50 +0000

Description:
PLD Space, the pioneering Spanish private space company, has updated its progress with its Miura The post PLD Space accelerates Miura 5 toward 2026 debut with milestones update appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .

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PLD Space, the pioneering Spanish private space company, has updated its progress with its Miura 5 orbital launch vehicle. The company remains on
track for its inaugural demonstration flight in 2026 from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana.



The two-stage, kerosene-fueled rocket is designed for partial reusability and capable of delivering up to 540 kg to low Earth orbit.

MIURA 5 is rapidly coming together, with tangible progress across manufacturing, integration, testing and launch infrastructure, noted Miura 5 Program Manager Giovanni Luca Carollo in a new update at the end of January. All of our team is taking part in the path towards flight readiness.

Key highlights include the manufacturing and integration of two qualification models (QM1 and QM2) for the first stage, produced in record time. QM1 has undergone rigorous qualification. Both tanks have been already qualified not only for a single flight but also for reusability the fuel tank has passed more than 150 tests between internal pressure and compression to make sure that the stage is not only ready for a single launch but also for its coming return from space and reusability.

This stage will support upcoming wet dress rehearsals to validate feed lines and systems ahead of flight.

QM2 is progressing through similar structural tests, with PLD noting they
will repeat testing for qualification on both tanks before the production and integration of the flight vehicle. Propulsion milestones feature prominently with the latest update, with successful hot-fire tests of the T5C sea-level and T5C vacuum engines.

We successfully tested the T5C and T5C vacuum engine reaching nominal condition, collecting a lot of data, added the company. This test campaign allowed us to confirm the actual design choices and also to make a final iteration for a fine-tuning of the flight unit version.

Manufacturing has advanced significantly, as the company looks to the future flight cadence of its vehicles.

During the last quarter of 2025, the propulsion manufacturing plant achieved significant progress we have manufactured the qualification components for
the turbo pump assembly, including both rotative and static elements as well as the gas generator.

And we also consolidate the production of the combustion chambers ensuring a reliable and a repeatable serial manufacturing process.

From the avionics subsystem, we can say that most of the qualifications are performed and the units have been qualified correctly With the data obtained from the qualifications, we are improving the designs and optimizing the designs for better performance of the launch vehicle.

PLD has also released a new version of its flight software and has started to integrate the GNC (Guidance and Navigation Control) in real hardware to perform closed loop and open loop testing. From the GNC side we are progressing with validation and qualification of guidance navigation and control algorithms for all mission phases, added PLD.

This includes extensive simulation analysis for nominal and off-nominal conditions we are integrating GNC with flight software and avionics for hardware in the loop test and we are improving our simulation models based on test results.

The update also covers second-stage preparations, including vacuum and EMC testing, and notes ongoing production of flight-model structures.

On infrastructure, Carollo highlighted parallel efforts in preparation for
its launch campaign from the spaceport best known for Arianespace launches. I would be very worried if I were a competitor #GoMIURA5 Go @PLD_Space https://t.co/tgaZjjpuTR

Ral Torres (@RaulTorresPLD) January 29, 2026



Ground Support Equipment is being manufactured in Spain and will soon undergo on-site testing, while civil works at our launch complex at CSG (Kourou)
moves forward simultaneously. These accomplishments underscore PLD Spaces commitment to rapid, reliable development, positioning Miura 5 as a key
player in Europes independent access to space.

With two qualification vehicles integrated, engines tuned, and subsystems validated, the path to flight readiness appears solid for the 2026 milestone.





The post PLD Space accelerates Miura 5 toward 2026 debut with milestones update appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .



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Link to news story: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/01/pld-accelerates-miura-5-2026-milestone s/


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