Press Release: Elche (Spain), February 4, 2025. PLD Space, an international space services company with in-house engineering and manufacturing, has invested over €15 million in the past year to strengthen its supply chain. This investment has had a significant impact on the national and regional economy, driving local sector growth, fostering the creation of skilled jobs, and attracting strategic investments in the aerospace industry.
PLD Space’s commitment to innovation and industrial development reinforces its position as a key player in the technological and economic transformation of the European space sector. The company has consolidated a supply chain that enables advancements in R&D and the industrialization of its space vehicles, positioning Spain at the forefront of the industry.
As part of its strategy, PLD Space has established strategic collaborations with key partners such as Aciturri, which is involved in developing the MIURA 5 fairing, and Deimos, part of the Indra Group, which works on the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) system for the launcher. In partnership with Occam Space, it is developing the MOSPA modular payload adapter, while also collaborating with Repsol to create Europe’s first renewable rocket fuel (RP-1). These alliances are enhancing technological capabilities within the Spanish space sector, strengthening its global competitiveness.
PLD Space, committed to national and regional growth
The company’s expansion has also driven the growth of its manufacturing, testing, and launch facilities across various locations in Spain and French Guiana. Thanks to these high-level infrastructures, PLD Space is fostering economic development in Alicante, Aragón, and Kourou, benefiting local suppliers of materials and services. With 68% of its MIURA 5 supply chain investment allocated to Spanish companies, 10% of them in the Valencian Community, the company is contributing to building a robust industrial ecosystem specializing in the aerospace sector.
In terms of employment, PLD Space has experienced constant team growth, reaching nearly 300 employees, with plans to expand to 400 at its new 12,500 m² facilities in Elche. The company maintains a hiring rate of 15 employees per month, onboarding highly qualified professionals in aerospace engineering, telecommunications, physics, and technical disciplines. In 2024 alone, the company added 107 new professionals, further cementing its leadership in the sector.
Innovation, a key pillar in PLD Space’s growth
Innovation remains one of PLD Space’s core pillars. In the past three years, the company has invested over €35 million in R&D, allocating more than €25 million in 2024 alone to the MIURA 5 Program. This investment represents 5% of the Spanish space sector’s revenue, according to the 2023 Spanish Space Sector Figures and Trends report by TEDAE.
“At PLD Space, we are leading an economic model that drives technological development, strengthens the aerospace ecosystem, and places Spain at the forefront of global innovation,” states Ezequiel Sánchez, Executive Chairman of PLD Space.
Additionally, PLD Space actively collaborates in major industry initiatives, being a key member of the national association TEDAE and the PERTE Aeroespacial Commission. The Spanish Space Agency (AEE) also plays a crucial role in projects such as SPARK, designed to promote aerospace talent and culture in Spain.
Through the MIURA 5 SPARK program, the company will provide free access to the first two MIURA 5 test flights for schools, universities, and institutions worldwide, having already received over 100 applications from 27 countries. With a strong future vision focused on inspiring new generations, in 2024, PLD Space organized more than 100 educational activities in schools, high schools, and universities, reaching over 8,000 students.
PLD Space continues to establish itself as a leading force in the European aerospace industry, driving economic growth, technological development, and talent formation in a strategic sector for the future of Spain and Europe.
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