Spain’s PLD Space, supported by ESA, demonstrated the recovery of the first stage of their orbital microlauncher, Miura 5, in a first step towards reusability On 11 April.
A Chinook CH-47 helicopter carried the 15 m long 1.4 m diameter Miura 5 demonstration booster to an altitude of 5 km. It was then dropped over a controlled area of the Atlantic Ocean, 6 km off the coast of Huelva in southern Spain. Three parachutes were released to slow down the booster during the descent.
Miura 5 (formerly Arion 2) is aimed to provide dedicated launches for small satellites of up to 300 kg to low Earth orbit, in 2021. It weighs 14 t at liftoff, and is powered by liquid oxygen–kerosene engines.
This drop test was carried out yesterday from El Arenosillo Experimentation Center in Spain.
A Chinook CH-47 helicopter lifted the 15 m long 1.4 m diameter Miura 5 demonstration first stage to an altitude of 5 km then dropped it over a controlled area of the Atlantic Ocean, 6 km off the coast of Huelva in southern Spain.
This article is written by ESA
