Miura 1 is a suborbital 12.5-meter micro-launcher named after a famous breed of bull – very appropriate given that the rocket is being developed in Spain and can lift 100-kg payloads.

If tests continue to be successful, it will be performing its first maiden flight in the next few weeks.

Miura 1 would not only be Spain’s first rocket to blast off to space but also Europe’s first reusable rocket. The technology was pioneered in the US by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX and is now also being used by the likes of RocketLab, Blue Origin, and ArianeGroup.

Rockets are very costly to develop and build, so developing reusable launchers can help companies save money, cut waste, and make space exploration more affordable.

The company was created in 2011 and rapidly raised the funds to make its space dreams come true. With its headquarters in Elche, eastern Spain, PLD Space has successfully completed preliminary tests in the airport of Teruel.

In the next few weeks, it will be performing its first flight from the Defence Ministry´s aerospace base in Huelva, in the south of Spain.

Miura 1 is the first step on the road to developing its big brother, Miura 5.

According to euronews