Miura 5

Miura 5 (previously called Arion 2)[1][4] is a planned two-stage orbital recoverable launch vehicle of the Spanish company PLD Space. Miura 5 will be 25 m long, capable of inserting 300 kg of payload into a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit (SSO),[1] featuring an optional kick stage that can circularize the orbits of satellites. All stages are planned to be liquid-propelled and its technology is inherited from Miura 1. The first stage is planned to be reusable through the combined use of its engines and parachutes for retrieval.[5]

Miura 5
A Miura 5 first stage demostrator (1.5 m diameter) during drop test in El Arenosillo
Functionpartially reusable launch vehicle to low Earth orbit
ManufacturerPLD Space
Country of originSpain
Size
Height25 m (82 ft)
Diameter1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Mass32,000 kg (71,000 lb)
Stages2–3
Capacity
Payload to 500 km SSO300–500 kg (660–1,100 lb)[1]
Associated rockets
ComparableShavit, Prime, Electron
Launch history
Statusunder development
Launch sitesEl Hierro (proposed)

Guiana Space Centre (planned)

Azores (unknown)
First flight2024 (planned)[2]
First stage
Length17.7 m (58 ft)[3]
Diameter1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)
Engines5 TEPREL-C
Thrust408 kN (92,000 lbf)
FuelLOX / kerosene
Second stage
Length9 m (30 ft)
Engines1 TEPREL-C vacuum
Thrust65 kN (15,000 lbf)
Fuelliquid oxygen / kerosene
Kick stage (optional)

Development

The Miura 5 will use a TEPREL-C turbopump engine, unlike previous versions which use a pressurized tank cycle. Its reuse capabilities are planned to allow it to be launched 3 times.[6]

A lift capacity of 150 kilograms was originally envisioned, but in 2018 lift capacity was doubled after a 10-month European Space Agency review that concluded launching up to 300 kilograms to a 500-kilometer orbit should be pursued.[7]

In October 2016, the ESA chose PLD Space as the main contractor of the LPSR ("Liquid Propulsion Stage Recovery") programa, part of the agency's Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP), for the development of a reusable first stage with a budget of 750,000 euros. The main objective is to provide the reusable first stage Miura 5 launcher with parachute for return although the possibility of using controlled paragliders or "ballutes" will also be explored. The system will be tested at first in Miura 1.[8]

On 11 April 2019, PLD Space performed a successful crash and recovery test of the first stage of a Miura 5 demostrator (1.5 m diameter instead of 1.8 m) in El Arenosillo.[9] The stage was dropped from a height of 5 km, slowed down with three parachutes and touched the water, where it was recovered.[10]

Launch sites

On July 2019, PLD Space reached an agreement with CNES to study the launch of Miura 5 from CSG, French Guiana.[11] As part of an agreement, INTA is also helping them procure a launch site, being El Hierro Launch Centre the best option from a technical point of view.[12] Recently PLD Space has shared the possibility of making launches from the planned spaceport in Azores but the status of this proposal is unknown.[13]

Launch schedule

The first test flight of Miura 5 is planned to take place in 2024.[2]

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gollark: I care somewhat about appearance, but your comment reminds me very much of the whole thing my parents have with looking "smart".
gollark: Surely nobody is going around licking windows *now*.
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gollark: There *is* a difference between useful criticism and people just telling you you're terrible somehow.

See also

References
  1. Henry, Caleb (28 November 2018). "PLD Space, after ESA input, doubles lift capacity of smallsat launcher". SpaceNews. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  2. "PLD Space, la ambición de lanzar satélites con cohetes reutilizables" [PLD Space, and the ambition to launch satellites with reusable rockets]. El País (in Spanish). 11 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/smallsat/2020/all2020/63/
  4. "Since today, MIURA is the new PLD Space rocket's commercial brand" (Press release). PLD Space. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  5. Henry, Caleb (11 June 2018). "PLD Space raises additional $10 million for reusable smallsat launchers]". SpaceNews. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  6. "ESA Microlaunch Services Workshop Presentation" (PDF). 6 November 2018.
  7. "PLD Space, after ESA input, doubles lift capacity of smallsat launcher". SpaceNews. 28 November 2018.
  8. "PLD Space: the first European reusable rocket". Naukas (in Spanish). 2 November 2016.
  9. info-space.com (15 April 2019). "PLD Space and the Spanish Army pass the first drop test of Miura 5 – Info-Space News Spain". infoespacial.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  10. Sheldon, John (17 April 2019). "Spain's PLD Space Successfully Completes Miura-5 Reusable Booster Drop Test". SpaceWatch.Global.
  11. Space, P. L. D. (1 July 2019). "Today @PLD_Space and @CNES, and with the support of @CDTIoficial signed at #EUCASS2019 a preliminary Agreement to study the launch of #MIURA5 microlauncher from CSG, French Guayana. #Microlaunchers #EUCASS #MIURA5pic.twitter.com/ooE61tA2FB".
  12. "Teniente general José María Salom, director general del INTA – Noticias Defensa En abierto". Defensa.com. 14 April 2019.
  13. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/smallsat/2020/all2020/63/
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