[12] The Miura 5 was originally envisioned to have a lift capacity of 150 kilograms; in comparison to Vega, Arianespace’s smallest launcher, it was to be capable of carrying roughly one-tenth of the payload.

[11] However, mid-way through the design process, the Miura 5's lift capacity was doubled in response to formal recommendations produced by the ESA in 2018.

[13] During October 2016, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced the selection of the Spanish aerospace start-up PLD Space as the main contractor of the LPSR ("Liquid Propulsion Stage Recovery") program, one part of the agency's Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP).

Various options for recovery were examined, primarily involving the use of parachutes; other methods, such as the use of controlled paragliders or ballutes, were also explored at this stage.

[20] PLD Space has also publicly commented on the possibility of conducting launches from the planned spaceport in Azores, but the status of this proposal is presently uncertain.

[21] During 2021, in light of the successful drop testing of the first stage, the ESA awarded a new contract to PD Space to continue with development of the Miura 5.

It will be superseded by an improved model of the Miura 5 that uses the recoverable first stage, which is intended to perform the planned commercial launches.