Starting in 2025, at least two #European launch startups (#IsarAerospace and #RocketFactory Augsburg) expect to offer more choices for both institutional and commercial customers. The field will continue to widen toward the close of the decade, with #MaiaSpace, #Latitude, #HyImpulse, #HyPrSpace, #Orbex, #PLDSpace, and #Skyrora all working toward an inaugural flight of their respective vehicles. https://europeanspaceflight.com/arianegroup-already-working-to-secure-iris2-launch-contract

#PLDSpace : The smallest of the three #rockets will be capable of delivering up to 13,580 kilograms to #LEO, while the most powerful will have the capacity to deliver 53,000 kilograms https://europeanspaceflight.com/pld-space-unveils-three-new-rockets-and-a-crew-capsule/

It's likely that rockets built by the likes of #Spain's #PLDSpace, #France's #MaiaSpace, and the #German duo #IsarAerospace and #RocketFactory Augsburg will also be blasting off from the center soon under the start-up plan. Efforts to drag the #spaceport into the 21st century are underway https://www.politico.eu/article/russian-rockets-clog-europes-south-american-spaceport

#PLDSpace to launch 30-meter #MIURA5 from #Kourou https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/spanish-startup-pld-space-to-launch-miura-5-rocket-from-french-guiana

https://graphhopper.com/maps/?point=Guiana+Space+Centre&layer=Esri+Satellite

At the end of 2022, the total funding secured by all #European launch startups since 2011 was €419 million. In 2023, that figure rose to €781 million, an 86% increase in the industry's total funding to date. In the first month and a half of 2024 alone, another €70.5 million has been added to that figure. With the addition of that early 2024 funding, the total comes to €850 million https://europeanspaceflight.substack.com/p/state-of-european-launch-startup

#PLDspace has beaten #Barcelona-based #PangeaAerospace *, another startup looking also to develop a #SpaceLaunch vehicle https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/pld-space-gets-e40-5-million-to-develop-spains-first-commercial-space-rocket

* https://graphhopper.com/maps/?point=Pan­gea+Ae­ro­space+Barcelona

The new #Ariane 6 rocket, which is running four years late and still hasn't flown, should be the last #LaunchVehicle developed by #ESA, which will launch a competition of #launchers without weight class limitations. The field of startup launch companies in #Europe includes German firms like #HyImpulse, #RocketFactory Augsburg, and #IsarAerospace; British companies such as #Skyrora and #Orbex; and Spain's #PLDSpace. #ESA will use around 75 million euros to pay for the early stages of the #cargo challenge, which #Aschbacher expects will result in three companies competing with one another https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/11/after-the-sting-of-ariane-6-europe-finally-embraces-commercial-rockets/

Is it the beginning of the end of Europe's access to space crisis?

After a successful test flight from #PLDSpace, #Vega comes back to flight successfully launching 12 satellites, including Thai THEOS-2 and FORMOSAT-7R and 6 from #ESA’s In-Orbit Demonstration & Validation initiative.

Let's hope that after a successful inaugural flights of Ariane 6, Isar Aerospace's Spectrum, RFA's One and MIURA 5 ... this will all be just a bad memory ...

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Vega/Vega_flies_to_bring_satellites_to_space

Finalmente, el instrumento INNVIERTE de CDTI ha permitido que este organismo forme parte directa del capital de PLD Space con una contribución de 450000 € y un compromiso para un total de 2,75 millones.

Sin la capacidad tractora del sector público para dotar a España de una capacidad aeroespacial estratégica, el gran talento de los fundadores de PLD Space no habría podido llegar tan alto. Ahora ¡a la órbita terrestre!

A quick comment for the record ...

The apogee per the press release was 46km. Apparently they were targeting 80km, but fell short.

However that should not detract from the overall success.

After all, many first launch attempts end in an explosion, either unintended or because of a flight termination system.

Absolutamente impresionante lo que ha conseguido hoy PLD Space en el lanzamiento de prueba de Miura 1. Cohete en trayectoria nominal, rampa en perfecto estado, microgravedad conseguida... veremos si también recuperan la etapa. Lo normal en este tipo de primeros intentos es que todo salte por los aires. Mi enhorabuena a todos los involucrados, incluyendo el INTA.