PLD Space wins an ESA (European Space Agency) contract for the development of a flexible system to host satellites on MIURA 5.
~
Press Release, Elche, 19 February 2024: [auto-translated] The Spanish company PLD Space has signed a Boost! Contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for the development of a payload hosting system in MIURA 5 that will provide greater flexibility to its customers. The project, in collaboration with the also Spanish OCCAM Space, is endowed with 1.3 million euros.
The project is part of the Boost! programme. from ESA, aimed at promoting commercial space transportation initiatives, and fits with PLD Space’s value proposition of offering its customers a personalised service capable of adapting to their needs through its orbital launcher, MIURA 5.
“PLD Space has once again proven that it is the European leader in launches. Winning the Boost! contract, an achievement shared with our partners OCCAM Space, is further proof of this and another vote of confidence from ESA. We are excited to develop a modular, highly flexible and low-cost solution to satisfy the accommodation needs of our clients on board MIURA 5”, comments the co-founder and head of Business Development of PLD Space, Raúl Verdú.
“PLD Space has proven itself with its first launch last year, and we look forward to seeing the experience applied to the development of MIURA 5 launch services,” says ESA Commercial Services Manager and Boost! Technical Lead Jorgen Bru. “The development of this payload adapter was chosen to increase market competitiveness and ensure that as many types of satellites and customers as possible can fly.”
Specifically, the contract signed between ESA and PLD Space co-finances the development of a modular and customisable payload hosting system. Designed to release all types of satellites with the greatest possible flexibility, the payload system (called MOSPA for Modular Solution for Payload Adapter), will allow PLD Space to offer its customers a broader range of missions and services, including hosting CubeSats, nanosatellites and microsatellites.
The development of the modular payload adapter will be carried out in collaboration with OCCAM Space. The goal is to lighten the hardware while making it as adaptable as possible to launch more satellites and meet market demands.
“The OCCAM Space team has extensive experience in structures and mechanisms in the space sector. We are very pleased that our philosophy and MOSPA design have been selected to complement the upper stage of MIURA 5. We look forward to working hand in hand with ESA and PLD Space to provide more competitiveness to the European market for small launchers,” says the CEO of OCCAM Space, Manuel Serrano.
PLD Space continues to advance the development of its orbital launcher, MIURA 5, which is scheduled to make its first flight in 2025 from the European spaceport of Kourou, in French Guiana, belonging to the CNES.
~
