The Miura 1, the first reusable Spanish rocket with the ability to carry cargo in space and developed by the private company PLD Space (30% public funding), is already on the launch platform of the Institute’s aerospace base. National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) in Huelva, between the coastal enclaves of Mazagón and Matalascañas. The launch is scheduled for 2 a.m. Spanish Peninsula Time and will air Friday through Saturday from 1 a.m. on EL PAÍS. With this flight the company seeks to conquer space for Spain, a goal to which only nine countries have access so far.
The company has reported that all pre-launch operations are proceeding normally and without incident, the weather forecast is favorable and fuel loading has begun.
The mission completed all steps up to launch, which ended with two dress rehearsals, the so-called Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR), during which all equipment necessary for the flight was tested.
The launch came after two failed attempts: the first due to the presence of winds at altitude incompatible with the mission on May 31 and the other in June due to an error in the last half second that caused a delay in the launch release of the charging cables. for the rocket’s navigation systems and remain attached to the platform until the last moment.
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The risk of fire and the presence of holidaymakers in an area where the population multiplies in the summer months have so far prevented the launch, as the weather forecast was favorable and the risk of fires has significantly reduced in the heart of the Doñana Natural Park, a biosphere reserve.
During recent testing, PLD Space tested the umbilical connections between the rocket and the launch pad and replicated the release of these cables when the rocket was vertical. The two Wet Dress Rehearsals (WDR) made it possible to simulate the entire process up to launch, including the immediate steps after launch.
12 minute heart attack
After ignition, the Miura 1 – named after the brave cattle ranch and as a symbol of the Spanish brand – begins the take-off phase and turning maneuvers to follow the planned trajectory.
After a few minutes it reaches the zero gravity zone about 30 kilometers away and reaches apogee at about 80 kilometers altitude and in space conditions (outside the atmosphere). From this point, the rocket would begin the descent maneuver to exit zero gravity and deploy the primary parachute. With the help of the air brakes and the main parachute renewed after the tests carried out in Teruel in September, the Miura 1 will land on the coast of Huelva, be picked up, taken to the port of Mazagón and later transferred to Teruel to analyze all the test results. A total of 12 breathtaking minutes.
PLD Space foresees possible scenarios during the flight of the microlauncher, related to the degradation of the trajectory or the behavior of some of its subsystems.
“The success rate of a first launch in the industry is around 45%,” emphasized the executive president of PLD Space, Ezequiel Sánchez. “We are aware that we have taken on a challenge in the European industry at the highest level, but we are meeting it with the confidence and leadership that our experience and the knowledge we have gained give us.”
PLD Space is a Spanish company in the aerospace sector for the development of reusable rockets. It was founded in 2011 by Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú in Elche (Alicante) and has technical facilities in Teruel, Huelva and French Guiana. The company has already made more than 65 million euros in investments to promote its space project and has a team of more than 150 professionals.
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