On Saturday, October 7th, Spain’s PLD Space successfully launched the Miura-1 rocket, marking Europe’s first fully private rocket launch. The Miura-1, a recoverable rocket, was launched from a site in southwest Spain, and this achievement is seen as a significant boost to Europe’s space ambitions, which had faced several hurdles.
PLD Space’s night launch from Huelva came after two previous attempts were canceled. The Miura-1 rocket was named after a breed of fighting bull and stands as tall as a three-story building, with a 100-kilogram (220-pound) cargo capacity.
While the launch carried a payload for test purposes, the payload was not released into space. In a mission control video, engineers were seen cheering as the rocket lifted off into the night sky.
Raul Torres, CEO of PLD Space, expressed his excitement, stating, “My voice is shot after so much shouting.” He noted that all rocket systems worked “perfectly” and announced the company’s plans to triple its workforce, emphasizing, “This is just the beginning.”
Spain’s acting Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, also celebrated the event on social media, highlighting its significance for Spain’s research and development in space transportation.
The rocket’s flight lasted for 306 seconds, reaching a maximum height of 46 kilometers, which was only half of the altitude originally aimed for by mission planners, according to Space[dot]com.
The company plans to recover the partially reusable launcher from the Atlantic Ocean.
The first attempt to launch the Miura-1 occurred in May but was abandoned due to high-altitude winds. A second attempt in June failed when umbilical cables did not all release in time, resulting in the launch being halted amid smoke and flames spewing from the rocket. Despite these setbacks, PLD Space has now achieved a successful private rocket launch, marking a significant milestone for European space exploration.
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