PLD Space/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMADRID, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Spanish rocket company PLD Space plans a first orbital launch from French Guiana in the first quarter of 2026, after it carried out the first fully private European rocket launch earlier this month, it said on Friday. PLD will use the data gathered with the 30 million euro ($32 million) suborbital test to develop the larger Miura-5, a full orbital launcher. So far, they have identified 1,000 elements for improvement to develop Miura-5, it said. PLD Space said it expects to sign the first binding agreements with clients next year. Europe's efforts to develop capabilities to send small satellites into space are in focus after a failed orbital rocket launch by Virgin Orbit from Britain in January.

---

Persons: Miura, Raul Torres, Raul Verdu, Emma Pinedo, Inti Landauro, Hugh Lawson Organizations: El, REUTERS, Rights, Spanish, Miura, Virgin Orbit, Boeing, Thomson Locations: Huelva, Spain, Rights MADRID, French Guiana, Guiana, Madrid, Britain