This is a press released shared to or found by Space Explored but written by the company/agency in question, not the Space Explored team. It has been slightly edited for better reading.
Madrid (Spain), 2 December 2024. PLD Space, a Spanish company specializing in the development of reusable space launchers, has secured an €11 million loan from COFIDES to support the development of the launch site for its MIURA 5 rocket in Kourou, French Guiana. The company will initially invest a total of €16 million in the development, construction, and operation of this launch base, located at the CSG—Europe’s spaceport in Kourou—operated by the French Space Agency (CNES) and the European Space Agency (ESA).
The project has received financial backing from COFIDES through a co-investment loan from the Fund for Foreign Investment (FIEX), which supports Spanish companies in their international expansion strategies.
This funding bolsters PLD Space’s mission to ensure autonomous and competitive European access to space while strengthening Europe’s space infrastructure. The company’s service portfolio spans the full spectrum of launch needs, from small satellites to payloads of up to 50 tonnes, through its MIURA rocket family. From 2030, PLD Space also plans to pioneer human missions with LINCE, Europe’s first commercial manned capsule.
The project was formalised at COFIDES headquarters in the presence of the Secretary of State for Trade, Amparo López Senovilla.
Following the signing of the financing agreement, Ezequiel Sánchez, PLD Space Executive President, expressed gratitude for COFIDES’ support, stating, “We appreciate COFIDES’ confidence in PLD Space. Our mission is to provide Europe with a comprehensive payload launch capability, and this support inspires us to continue driving European space sovereignty while strengthening its strategic space infrastructure.”
Amparo López Senovilla highlighted that “This initiative exemplifies the critical role of public-private collaboration in supporting strategic and innovative projects, which rely on institutional backing as an anchor investor during the early stages of technological development. This project underscores COFIDES’ position as a leading institution in managing public funds to support Spanish companies’ international investment ventures.”
Ángela Pérez, COFIDES Chairperson, emphasized that “COFIDES is committed to supporting companies that contribute to global technological transformation. PLD Space is a pioneer and a benchmark in Europe in the development of reusable rockets, and this collaboration reaffirms our commitment to innovation and the consolidation of European technological leadership.” She also thanked the Secretary of State for Trade for attending the formalization of this project.
This loan complements PLD Space’s planned investment in the MIURA 5 launch complex at CSG, where the company has 15,765 square metres dedicated to flight campaigns for its orbital launcher. The facilities are divided into three key areas: the launch pad, preparation area, and control centre. The first MIURA 5 flight campaign is scheduled to commence in late 2025.
As part of its commitment to the local community, PLD Space will initially create over 10 direct jobs and 50 indirect jobs in Kourou, with these numbers expected to grow as launch frequency increases. Additionally, the company plans to collaborate with regional industrial suppliers to establish a robust local supply chain.
For this transaction, Deloitte served as an advisor to PLD Space and COFIDES, with KPMG providing financial advisory services and Hogan Lovells acting as legal counsel.
About PLD Space
PLD Space is a pioneering Spanish aerospace company and a benchmark reference in Europe for developing reusable rockets. With a solid reputation and steadfast commitment that is materialised in its family of MIURA launch vehicles and its manned capsule LINCE. These innovations position Spain among the select few nations capable of successfully deploying any payload into space.
PLD Space was founded in 2011 by Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú with the aim of facilitating access to space. The company, based in Elche (Spain) and with technical facilities in Teruel (Spain) and Kourou (French Guiana), has a team of more than 250 professionals and 170 million euros in funding to date.
About COFIDES
COFIDES is a state-owned trading company that manages state funds, as well as its own resources and those of third-party institutions. COFIDES’s mission is to support the internationalization of the Spanish economy, attract foreign investment into strategic sectors in Spain, promote the impact economy, and contribute to global economic development. COFIDES is also instrumental in strengthening the solvency of Spanish companies, particularly in response to challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. COFIDES’s shareholders include the Spanish State, Banco Santander, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), Banco Sabadell, and CAF-Development Bank of Latin America.
