This initiative is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Generalitat Valenciana, the Organisation of Ibero-American States (OEI), and the European Space Education Resource Office in Spain (ESERO Spain), part of the European Space Agency (ESA).

The MIURA 5 SPARK Programme provides small satellite launch services to students, research centres, institutions, and commercial entities that submit innovative proposals to address Earth's challenges from space. PLD Space will select satellites from around the globe for the two MIURA 5 demonstration flights, scheduled for late 2025 and early 2026. The selected satellites will receive standard launch services at no cost.

"At PLD Space, we have an unwavering commitment to encouraging society's engagement with the space industry. The first MIURA 5 test flights offer a unique opportunity for students, researchers, institutions, and companies to test their innovations in the challenging environment of space," says Raul Verdu, Head of Business Development and co-founder at PLD Space.

"The Spanish Space Agency supports initiatives like PLD Space's MIURA 5 SPARK Programme, which align with our ultimate goal of facilitating access to space and bringing space innovation closer to society," adds Juan Carlos Cortes, Director of the Spanish Space Agency.

MIURA 5 SPARK Programme Requirements
The combined mass of all selected small satellites is 450 kg per flight, which will be launched into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometres.

The main selection criteria include the country of origin, with priority given to Spanish entities, followed by EU Member States, NATO Member States, and major non-NATO allied states. Proposals from universities, research centres, and commercial entities willing to integrate experiments by primary, secondary, and vocational training students are also prioritized.

Other conditions include payload mass requirements, orbit flexibility, compliance with technical standards, launch window, schedule flexibility, satellite development status, operational risks, and mission attractiveness.

Phases of the Call for Submissions
Following this announcement, the preliminary application period begins and will end on July 30. The PLD Space mission management team will conduct an initial assessment and notify shortlisted applicants on August 30. Candidates whose mission proposals pass this stage will receive the MIURA 5 User Guide, detailing the expected flight and maximum activity times. They will have one month to submit their final applications. The final selection of candidates will be announced on November 30, with the signing of the launch service contracts to be completed by December 30.

Primary, secondary schools, and vocational training centres interested in registering their experiment idea will have the chance to fly alongside a commercial entity without a pre-selection process. They have until October 31 to submit their proposals.

Mission Management Costs Included
Under the MIURA 5 SPARK Programme, PLD Space will cover mission management, accommodation on the MIURA 5 launcher, fuel handling, transport to the launch base, storage and handling costs, and other operational costs related to the standard launch service. Applicants will be responsible for meeting the technical requirements and additional safety tests for the satellite.

Related Links
MIURA 5 SPARK Program
Microsat News and Nanosat News at SpaceMart.com