Verified Nov 2026
Other
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Since 2011
PLD Space, officially Payload Aerospace, S.L., is a Spanish aerospace company founded in 2011 and headquartered in Elche, Alicante. It develops partially reusable launch vehicles for small satellites and payloads, and its MIURA family includes the Miura 1 sounding rocket and the Miura 5 orbital launcher. The company is privately held, has an estimated 200-500 employees, and serves aerospace, automotive, electric-vehicle and industrial-equipment sectors. In 2026, the European Space Agency signed its first major European Launcher Challenge contract with the company.
PLD Space at a glance
Revenue
$100-250M
Est. band
Employees
200-500
Founded
2011
Industries
Automotive
Electric Vehicles
Industrial Equipment
Aerospace
Overview
PLD Space, officially Payload Aerospace, S.L., is a Spanish aerospace company founded in 2011 and headquartered in Elche, Alicante. It develops partially reusable launch vehicles for small satellites and payloads, and its MIURA family includes the Miura 1 sounding rocket and the Miura 5 orbital launcher. The company is privately held, has an estimated 200-500 employees, and serves aerospace, automotive, electric-vehicle and industrial-equipment sectors. In 2026, the European Space Agency signed its first major European Launcher Challenge contract with the company.
At a glance
Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
Founded | 2011 |
Employees | 200-500 |
Revenue | $100-250M (estimated) |
What PLD Space makes
The company's own launch vehicles include the Miura 1 suborbital rocket and the Miura 5 two-stage orbital launcher, which is rated to carry up to 540 kg to orbit, and its facilities are listed in Elche, Spain.
Products and capabilities described on the company's own site include Assembly, Composite (source: pldspace.com).
Latest developments
2026-09-01 — Spain's PLD Space adds $125 million to its latest funding round | Reuters (reuters.com)
2026-09-01 — PLD Space raises an additional $125 million - SpaceNews (spacenews.com)
2026-08-27 — ESA signs first major European Launcher Challenge contract with Spain's PLD Space | Euronews (euronews.com)
2026-04-07 — Spain: EIB finances with €30 million PLD Space’s small satellite launcher MIURA 5 (eib.org)
2026-03-04 — COFIDES invests €50 million in PLD Space to accelerate access to space with MIURA 5 | COFIDES (cofides.es)
2026-03-04 — Mitsubishi Electric Invests in Spanish Service Provider PLD Space | MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC Global website (mitsubishielectric.com)
Facilities
Public sources reference the following locations:
Elche, Spain — eib.org
Company details
PLD Space is a privately held company with an estimated revenue band of $100-250 million, and it has received financing from the European Investment Bank and COFIDES. PLD Space was founded in 2011, and has an estimated 200-500 employees.
Frequently asked questions
What does PLD Space do?
PLD Space, officially Payload Aerospace, S.L., is a Spanish aerospace company founded in 2011 and headquartered in Elche, Alicante. It develops partially reusable launch vehicles for small satellites and payloads, and its MIURA family includes the Miura 1 sounding rocket and the Miura 5 orbital launcher. The company is privately held, has an estimated 200-500 employees, and serves aerospace, automotive, electric-vehicle and industrial-equipment sectors. In 2026, the European Space Agency signed its first major European Launcher Challenge contract with the company.
When was PLD Space founded?
PLD Space was founded in 2011.
How big is PLD Space?
PLD Space has an estimated 200-500 employees, with revenue in the $100-250M range (estimated).
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Last verified Nov 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.
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