Morant: "The technology made by PLD Space is a benchmark for the European Space Agency to achieve Europe's strategic space autonomy"

The Minister for Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, during her visit to the head office of the company PLD Space in Elche

The minister stressed that "the technology made in Spain by PLD Space has become a benchmark for ESA to achieve Europe's strategic space autonomy". "Last autumn we experienced a historic technological milestone when PLD Space became the first company in Europe to successfully launch a rocket, the Miura 1, which was followed by the whole world," she said.

Morant stressed that the Government of Spain, as an entrepreneurial State, supports PLD Space through the Innvierte public-private co-investment programme, through which 23% of the shares are held by the Centre for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI), part of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. "We will continue to work with this great company to achieve its objectives and successes, which will be the successes of our country," she said.

Both toured the facilities where Miura 5 is being manufactured, a microsatellite launcher that has an investment of 40.5 million euros from the Government of Spain via the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan within the framework of the PERTE Aerospace. Its launch is planned for 2025 in French Guiana, following approval a few days ago by ESA, according to the minister.

"Spain is very well positioned in the space sector thanks to the Government's commitment".

Morant stated that "Spain is very well positioned in the space sector thanks to the commitment of the Government of Spain". In this regard, she recalled our country's investment of 200 million euros in the Ariane 6 project, whose launch a few days ago was also a success. "Space is an important sector in which research is carried out on issues that improve the daily lives of citizens. It is a place where science is done and where we achieve many of the scientific advances of the present and the future," she remarked.

Finally, the minister also highlighted the great talent spread throughout Spain. "We have a huge scientific ecosystem within the public universities from which many students leave every day and who are great professionals who enter the labour market whenever they have a good opportunity".

Non official translation