Spain's PLD Space launches 1st private rocket

MADRID, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Spanish company PLD Space launched on Saturday its first private reusable "Miura 1" rocket successfully from the base of the company in the municipality of Huelva in southwestern Spain.

Miura 1 is developed entirely in Spain by the company, which is located within the facilities of the National Institute of Aeronautical Technology (INTA).

This is the third launch attempt of Miura 1, after two failed attempts. The first one on May 31 was postponed due to high-altitude winds, and the second one, on June 17, failed when an automatic abort occurred 0.2 seconds after liftoff.

The objective of the mission is to "collect as much in-flight data as possible in order to validate the design, technology and processes that will later be transferred and integrated into the Miura 5 orbital launcher, currently under development."

Besides, the acquisition of in-flight data from various subsystems is also sought, especially in relation to the behavior of Miura 1 during re-entry, as well as the possibility of reaching splashdown conditions compatible with a recovery of the rocket in the Atlantic Ocean, said the company.

The acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the launch of the "first rocket with 100-percent Spanish technology" has been a success and a milestone that "positions Spain at the forefront of space transportation".

Ahead of the lift-off, the company has made coordination with INTA and the military base, in addition to waiting for favorable weather conditions, with no winds at altitude. To ensure safety, airspace, areas of the sea and roads were closed around the high-security launch site.