PLD Space and Etlaq. Photo: PLD Space

PLD Space partnered with Oman’s Etlaq spaceport, establishing it as the second global launch base for its Miura launch vehicle family, PLD Space announced on Feb. 20.

The spaceport will add to PLD’s launch complex at the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. The company is set to collaborate with Etlaq on the construction of the launch base and aims to perform the first Miura 5 flight in 2027.

The agreement was signed at the inaugural Etlaq Launch Conference in Muscat, Oman.

PLD plans to have a third spaceport in the coming year. The company said that the spaceports will fulfill the Miura 5 roadmap, which includes plans for 30 flights by 2030. PLD said this spaceport plan gives it access to Western markets with the European CSG spaceport, and better access to customers in the Middle East with Etlaq spaceport. 

Etlaq’s location in Duqm, on the southeastern coast of Oman, offers PLD Space access to commercially relevant orbits, including low-inclination orbits like Geostationary Orbit (GEO), medium inclinations such as the International Space Station (ISS) orbit, and high-inclination orbits like Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) and Polar.

“Given the current shortage of launch infrastructure, we are excited to announce this strategic collaboration with Etlaq, which presents itself as a strategic solution to meet the needs of our customers globally,” Raúl Verdú, co-founder and CEO of PLD Space said. “This decision reflects our commitment to listening to our customers and adapting our services to their needs, particularly their demand for greater proximity to launch bases.”