Spanish launch services provider PLD Space has completed an explosive test of the flight termination system for its MIURA 5 rocket ahead of the vehicle’s inaugural flight, which is now expected in the first half of 2027.
On 30 October, PLD Space announced it had successfully completed the test to validate the performance of its flight termination system, which is designed to destroy the rocket in the event of an in-flight anomaly that threatens public safety.
The company conducted the test in the United States at the Delta-V Energetics test facilities in Utah. In an interview with Exploración Espacial , PLD Space CEO Raúl Torres explained that the company had opted to conduct the test in the United States because of the administrative difficulties associated with handling explosive charges in Europe.
According to the company, the successful test provides “the evidence required to move forward with a major regulatory approval and brings MIURA 5 another step closer to operational readiness.”
The completion of the FTS test comes as PLD Space continues preparations for the inaugural flight of MIURA 5, which has now slipped into 2027.
In a 19 October news release, the company stated that it was targeting the first half of 2027 for the rocket’s inaugural test flight. This represents a delay from its previous target of 2026, which PLD Space last explicitly reaffirmed on 1 June when it announced an increase in its investment in launch infrastructure at the Guiana Space Centre to €35 million.
Despite the delay, PLD Space has reported progress in its preparations for the inaugural flight and its efforts to transition to operational launches. According to its October update, the company has manufactured three vehicles, comprising two qualification units and the first flight vehicle, which is undergoing integration.
The company is currently working toward an initial hot-fire test of the rocket’s second stage. On 21 September, it announced that a fully integrated MIURA 5 second stage had been erected vertically at its test facilities in Teruel, Spain, in preparation for a wet dress rehearsal and a static hot-fire test.
Preparations are also continuing at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, where PLD Space is developing its dedicated launch infrastructure. According to the company, approximately 60 containers of infrastructure and ground equipment have been delivered to the site, while work continues on validating the launch vehicle’s support structure, hold-down mechanisms and umbilical systems.
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