Spain's first private rocket successfully lifts off

A Spanish company achieved a significant milestone on Saturday by successfully launching the nation's inaugural private rocket, taking Spain one step closer to joining the exclusive ranks of space-faring nations.

The maiden flight of the compact MIURA1 rocket occurred at 02:19 am (0019 GMT), originating from a military facility situated in the southern region of Andalusia. This historic moment was orchestrated by PLD Space, the Spanish company behind the initiative.

PLD Space celebrated the launch as a resounding success, highlighting that all of its technical objectives had been met. The MIURA1 rocket ascended to an altitude of 46 kilometers (approximately 29 miles) above the Gulf of Cadiz.

Following a five-minute journey, the spacecraft gracefully touched down in the Atlantic Ocean, where the company announced plans to dispatch a recovery team.

This accomplishment marked the realization of a dream that had been postponed twice earlier in the year. The initial delay occurred in May due to adverse wind conditions, and subsequently in June, when some of the rocket's umbilical cables, responsible for supplying power and fuel, failed to release on time.

The MIURA1 rocket represents the inaugural phase in the development of MIURA5, a larger two-stage mini-launch vehicle towering at 35 meters (approximately 39 feet) in height. MIURA5 is designed with the capability to deploy satellites weighing less than 500 kilograms (approximately 1,100 pounds) into orbit, with the anticipated launch date set for 2025.

PLD Space revealed that a substantial portion, accounting for 70 percent, of the components engineered for MIURA1 will be repurposed for the construction of MIURA5.

As part of a collaboration agreement inked with the French National Centre for Space Studies, the mini-launcher will take off from the Kourou Space Centre located in French Guiana.

Established in 2011 by two Spanish academics, PLD Space stands among a cluster of European startup ventures committed to the development of mini-satellite launchers in response to the burgeoning demand for launching micro-satellites into orbit.

In contrast to larger launch vehicles like SpaceX's Falcon 9 or ArianeGroup's Ariane 6, compact rockets offer diverse applications, including the capacity to transport a single satellite and expedited launch readiness.