Madrid, Oct 7 (UNI) Spain’s private space company PLD Space said on Saturday it had successfully launched the country’s first suborbital reusable rocket, Miura 1.
“The Spanish company PLD Space has made history after successfully completing the launch of the first private European rocket, MIURA 1. The maiden flight of its suborbital launcher showcases the advanced level of technology and know-how that has been developed by the company since 2011,” the company said in a statement.
The flight lasted 306 seconds, during which the rocket reached an altitude of 46 kilometers (28.5 miles), according to the statement. The rocket landed in the Atlantic Ocean and will be recovered by the company.
This was not the first attempt to launch Miura 1. In May, PLD Space announced it was canceling the Miura 1 test launch because of strong winds. In June, the launch was scrubbed due to concerns it could cause wild fires. The launch was canceled again on June 17 because of last-minute technical issues.
PLD Space unveiled the first reusable suborbital launch vehicle MIURA 1 developed in Spain in 2021. This is a single-stage rocket with a length of 12.5 meters (39 feet) and a diameter of 0.7 meters (27.5 inches). Equipped with a recovery system, the rocket can be retrieved from the ocean and reused.
