PLD SpaceSpanish rocket company Miura 1 And Miura 5revealed its ambitious plans for the future with large reusable launchers Miura NEXT with which he plans to reach the Moon and Mars. The company also announced LynxEurope’s first private crew capsule.
With the Miura NEXT, PLD Space aims to take its place in a segment where SpaceX’s Starship is the leading example today. The Elche-based aerospace firm intends to introduce three models of its most powerful launch vehicles: Miura NEXT, Miura NEXT Heavy And Miura NEXT Super Heavy.
According to PLD Space, the Miura NEXT family of rockets will be able to launch up to 53 tons of cargo into orbit. But the story doesn’t end there. The Spanish company has set its sights on reaching the Moon and Mars with reusable and reusable versions of the Miura NEXT Super Heavy, which promises to be one of the most powerful rockets in the world.
During the event, which took place at the new plant in Elche, PLD Space explained that the Miura NEXT Super Heavy rocket, in its return version, will be capable of sending 3.6 tons of cargo to the Moon and 2.6 tons to Mars. Meanwhile, the non-evacuated version will be able to transport 16 and 13 tons, respectively.
Of course, there are still a few years left to see the great Miura launchers in action. The first test flight of Miura NEXT will take place in 2030It is assumed that the technology developed for the said model will then be transferred to the Heavy and Super Heavy variants. At the moment, there is no set timeline for the launch of larger variants.
PLD Space has big plans for its Miura rockets and installs chips in the Lince capsule
While PLD Space has a very ambitious development plan for the Miura NEXT rockets, the company is also putting a lot of tricks into it. Lynxthe first European manned capsule developed by a private company. It has power 8 cubic meters and although the company did not specify this in its announcement, the first renders Official data shows that it can accommodate up to 5 crew members.
The Spanish company indicates that trials of Lince will begin next year. The first uncrewed test flight is planned for 2028, with the capsule propelled by a Miura 5 rocket from a spaceport in French Guiana, northeastern South America. If all goes according to plan, the first orbital flight could take place in 2030.
Continuing development of the Miura NEXT launch vehicles and the Lince crew capsule, PLD Space continues to develop the Miura 5, which now features an improved entry and recovery system. Recall that the Spanish company successfully launched the Miura 1 rocket exactly a year ago, on October 7, 2023, and a few weeks later publicly announced its plans for its successor.
The company has a modern plant in Elche. which by 2025 will have the capacity to produce 6 complete Miura 5 missiles and 60 TEPREL-C engines.. Thanks to the progress made at its 12,500 square meter facilities, the company plans to begin commercial flights of the Miura 5 in 2026. According to those responsible, they have already attracted commercial interest worth almost 600 million euros.
Source: Hiper Textual
