PLD Space wins ESA contract to build hybrid rocket navigation system

PLD Space wins ESA contract to build hybrid rocket navigation system
by Hugo Ritmico
Madrid, Spain (SPX) Sep 22, 2025

PLD Space has secured its first Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), marking a major step in the company's expansion into navigation technologies. Under the agreement, the firm will create HALCON (Hybridization Algorithms and Low-cost Components for Optimized Navigation), a new hybrid navigation software designed for reusable launch vehicles.

The initiative was approved through ESA's NAVISP / Element 2 program, which focuses on advancing European leadership in Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT). The euro 995,705 contract will be co-financed equally by ESA and PLD Space, with the company retaining ownership of the resulting technology.

HALCON will integrate data from Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) with signals from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as Galileo and GPS. This combination aims to deliver high-precision navigation during launch and landing, a critical requirement for the reusability of PLD Space's MIURA 5 and MIURA Next rockets.

Historically, navigation systems relying solely on IMUs have been expensive, less accessible, and prone to accuracy loss during extended operations. By merging GNSS inputs, PLD Space intends to develop a more cost-effective and precise solution optimized for controlled landings, improving safety and supporting the broader adoption of reusable launch vehicles in Europe.

"This project represents a strategic step forward in the development of our own navigation capabilities. With ESA's support, we will enhance landing manoeuvre precision, gain vertical integration and move towards the future integration of autonomous flight termination technologies in Europe," stated Raul Verdu, Co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer of PLD Space.

The proposal was selected under ESA's NAVISP Spanish Call, launched in November 2024 with support from the Spanish Space Agency (AEE). Projects were evaluated based on technical merit, commercial strategy, and alignment with market demand, with PLD Space's solution receiving favorable assessment.

HALCON will achieve centimetre-level positioning accuracy using Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components, lowering costs while boosting safety and efficiency. Beyond navigation, the technology is expected to lay the groundwork for future systems such as a European Autonomous Flight Termination System (AFTS), a capability not yet authorised on the continent but essential for enhancing mission safety and autonomy.

All development work will be carried out internally by PLD Space engineers with ESA's technical oversight, ensuring integration into the company's roadmap for reusable and autonomous spaceflight technologies through 2030.