Filial in Kourou
PLD Space announced a 10 million euro investment to build the main Miura 5 launch base, the infrastructure needed during flight campaigns, and preparations for recovering the rocket. To achieve this, the company has established a French subsidiary in Kourou and is formalizing contracts with CNES to begin the initial investments in the spaceport.
PLD Space has emphasized its long-standing commitment to CNES and the Guiana Space Centre as the primary site for recurring Miura 5 flights. The project is described as the most competitive European launch site, with the only operational experience that allows Miura 5 to reach any orbit. Raúl Verdú, head of Business Development and cofounder of PLD Space, remarked that the first outreach to colleagues in French Guiana happened in 2018, and now the company is proud to start operations in Kourou as Europe’s original small launcher company. This marks an opportunity to complete a circle by developing, manufacturing, testing, and launching rockets to orbit from European territory.
Following a binding agreement signed with CNES in June 2023, PLD Space is ready to begin civil works on its launch complex at ELM-Diamant, within CNES’s Guiana Space Centre, with support from French authorities after the summer of 2024.
Network in Europe
PLD Space plans a 10 million euro investment to construct the main Miura 5 launch base, the essential infrastructure for the flight campaign, and preparations for rocket recovery. To support this, the company has formed a French entity in Kourou and is finalizing with CNES the contracts that will enable early investments at the site.
The aerospace company underscored its commitment to sustainable local prosperity, aiming to bring regional suppliers into a strong local supply chain. Verdú explained that the launch industry acts as a catalyst for investment and creates a ripple effect across the regional economy.
The initial economic impact includes the creation of more than ten direct jobs and fifty indirect roles in French Guiana, with numbers rising as launch activity expands. The company’s manifesto includes a target of 30 launches per year by 2030. Verdú noted the goal of conducting as many flights as possible from Europe’s spaceport, with appropriately sized local teams.
A New Complex
In total, PLD Space has 15,765 square meters at ELM-Diamant. The space covers a launch zone and a preparation area, including an integration hangar, a cleanroom, a control center, and commercial and operations offices.
The CNES commits to providing common facilities for Miura 5 launches, including road access, power supply, water fire protection systems, and general site access controls. CNES will also designate a portion of the European-French aerospace center for the launch zone.
The company plans to develop the specific infrastructure needed for integration, testing, and launch operations at the base. PLD Space indicated that the project is advancing along its roadmap, with civil work slated to begin after the summer. The plan calls for mid-2025 to accept the launch complex and launch campaigns to commence by late 2025.