By Cristina Gallardo

Spanish space startup PLD Space raised 180 million euros ($209 million) in its latest funding round, which it said will be used to scale up production of its reusable rockets.

The company, founded in 2011 and headquartered in the southeastern city of Elche, makes recoverable rockets called Miura, named after a Spanish breed of fighting bull.

The round comes amid greater interest within the European Union in boosting its autonomy on space technologies and other innovations deemed critical.

PLD Space's Miura rockets were designed to address a clear and growing capacity gap in the market, the company's Executive President Ezequiel Sanchez said.

The startup is preparing to become a commercial launch provider for satellites and payloads. Miura 5, its latest model, was designed to carry small satellites and should undertake its first test flight this year, PLD Space said. The company is aiming to make 30 launches per year by 2030, it added.

"This financing reinforces our technological and industrial leadership in the launcher market, enabling us to execute the next phase of our strategic roadmap with the speed and scale required to compete globally," Sanchez said.

The Series C funding round brings PLD Space's total investment since its founding to more than 350 million euros.

The round was led by Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, which has also become a strategic launch customer, the company said. Part of the new cash will support new commercial contracts for Miura rockets in Japan and the broader Asian market, it added.

Other investors taking part in this round include the Spanish government, the Spanish public funds management company COFIDES, and the Nazca Capital fund.

Write to Cristina Gallardo at cristina.gallardo@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 04, 2026 08:35 ET (13:35 GMT)

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