Sateliot Signs Deal with PLD Space to Launch Tritó Satellites in 2027

In a defining moment for Europe’s commercial space ambitions, PLD Space and Sateliot have signed their first commercial contract for a dedicated orbital launch of two next-generation Tritó satellites aboard the MIURA 5 rocket in 2027.

Beyond a standard launch agreement, this contract represents the first 100% Spanish private space mission, from satellite manufacturing and launch to in-orbit operations and commercial exploitation. It marks a new phase in Spain’s emergence as a fully integrated space power.

A Dedicated Launch for Strategic Autonomy

Under the agreement, two Tritó satellites, each weighing approximately 160 kilograms, will be deployed into low Earth orbit (LEO) on a dedicated mission aboard MIURA 5, PLD Space’s two-stage reusable small-satellite launcher.

For Sateliot, independence was decisive.

Unlike rideshare missions, where operators share payload space and launch schedules, MIURA 5 offers a tailored, client-specific launch profile. That flexibility ensures optimized orbital parameters, mission timing, and deployment conditions, key advantages for a constellation designed to support mission-critical connectivity.

This level of customization provides Sateliot with operational control and competitive positioning that shared-launch models cannot guarantee.

Tritó: A Step-Change in 5G Direct-to-Device Connectivity

Sateliot’s Tritó satellites represent a major leap in performance for 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN). Designed for Direct-to-Device (D2D) connectivity, the next-generation spacecraft will:

• Deliver dual IoT connectivity

• Enable direct mobile communication (data, voice, and video) via 5G standards

• Support defense, civil protection, and emergency response use cases

• Strengthen network resilience when terrestrial systems fail

The enhanced payload power of Tritó significantly expands capacity and performance, particularly for security-sensitive and high-reliability applications.

In a geopolitical environment increasingly defined by network disruption risks and contested infrastructure, space-based 5G D2D capabilities offer a strategic communications backstop, both for civil and defense domains.

MIURA 5: Europe’s Push for Launch Sovereignty

MIURA 5 is PLD Space’s reusable orbital launcher designed, manufactured, and operated entirely by the company. Its mission goes beyond commercial service provision, it supports European technological sovereignty in space transportation.

For Europe, independent launch access is no longer optional. It is foundational to security, economic resilience, and strategic autonomy.

By pairing domestic satellite manufacturing with domestic launch capability, this mission demonstrates a vertically integrated ecosystem that reduces external dependency across the space value chain.

Leadership Perspective

Raúl Verdú, Co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer of PLD Space, emphasized the broader ecosystem impact, noting that the alliance demonstrates the ability of two national companies to deliver vertically integrated solutions at unprecedented levels of competitiveness.

Jaume Sanpera, Co-founder and CEO of Sateliot, highlighted the importance of national and European autonomy. Launching with a Spanish provider reinforces sovereign capability while ensuring global D2D connectivity, even when terrestrial networks are unavailable or compromised.

Strategic Implications for the European Space Market

This agreement signals several structural shifts:

• Growing demand for dedicated launch services overrides the ride-sharing models

• Increasing convergence between 5G terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks

• Stronger focus on European sovereign space infrastructure

• Expansion of dual-use (civil + defense) satellite communications capabilities

For investors, policymakers, and defense stakeholders, the message is clear: Europe’s commercial space ecosystem is maturing into a vertically integrated, strategically aligned industrial base capable of competing globally.

The 2027 Tritó mission may well be remembered as a milestone in that evolution.