PLD Space, the aerospace company founded in 2013 by Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú, have finally not been able to carry out the mission that had the objective of launching the Spanish rocket named MIURA 1. Adverse weather conditions —mainly the wind— have made it difficult the maiden takeoff, and now the company is preparing to try again in a new window that is yet to be completed. But why is this release so important? What does PLD Space intend with this Spanish rocket?
The initial goal of The mission which, let us remember, was going to take place on May 31, was to successfully launch the rocket to, later, to be able to gather information that could be necessary to improve the development of other rockets and technologies of PLD Space.
The first flight of the MIURA 1 also had payloads on board (payload) in collaboration with the Center for Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM), with which they intended to study microgravity conditions to carry out scientific experiments in future suborbital flights.
The mission, in fact, It was going to last a total of 12 minutes., with a 6-minute flight and a maximum height of 150 km, to later fall into the Atlantic Ocean and be picked up by a company team. MIURA 1 and its objectives, however, go far beyond a launch and flight test.
The first Spanish rocket to launch into space
When it is possible to launch it again, and as long as the mission is successful, the MIURA 1 will become the first Spanish rocket to reach space and although, we reiterate, it is not as powerful as the MIURA 5, it is. It’s a must-have rocket for a reason.
MIURA 1 It is intended for research tasks in microgravity and technological development. Precisely, the mission, in addition to verifying its launch, was going to serve to collect information to advance with the development and technology that will integrate MIURA 5, which is intended for the launch and placing into orbit of satellites and class payloads. one (with a maximum of up to 450 kg). The first PLD Space rocket is especially useful to advance other more ambitious space projects.
PLD Space intends to carry out a total of 4 missions per year, in which the MIURA 1 will be between 3 and 4 minutes in microgravity —about 80 km away from the earth— to, later, reach its apogee at an altitude of about 150 km and, finally, fall into the sea. The fact that it also has 100 kilograms of payload capacity allows the company to offer this space for laboratories, institutes or other organizations that want to collect scientific data on microgravity conditions.
The MIURA 5 will not be able to work without the MIURA 1
The MIURA 1, we reiterate, is essential to continue advancing in the development of the MIURA 5a rocket made up of two stages and whose objective is to carry a payload into space, such as satellites that can later be put into orbit.
This rocket, yes, will be much more active than the MIURA 1. PLD Space plans to perform up to 15 missions per year, which can be done from 2 launch sites. Another interesting detail of the MIURA 5 is that the first stage, which includes the payload, can be recovered for use in future missions.