The agreement was signed on behalf of the ministry by His Excellency Engineer Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, while it was signed on behalf of Airbus by Alain Fournier, CEO of Space Systems.

Airbus will design "OmanSat-1" with high capacity in the Ka frequency band, covering the Sultanate of Oman, including its economic waters, as well as the Middle East, East Africa, and Asia. It will rely on Airbus's OneSat platform, featuring full digital flexibility for reconfiguration while in orbit.

Within the framework of the agreement, the ministry entrusted the operation of the project to "Space Communications Technologies," a company owned by the Oman Investment Authority, to be the national operator of the project after its launch and the executive arm during the design and manufacturing phases. In order to optimally manage the project and align with various stakeholders, the ministry established an office to oversee and monitor the project's implementation within the company. This office will be responsible for the administrative and technical supervision of the project. It will also ensure the readiness of the infrastructure for operating the satellite, in addition to building a comprehensive operational system in the Sultanate of Oman to manage the satellite and provide services to government and private institutions after its launch.

Enhancing digital sovereignty

Regarding the project, His Excellency Engineer Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali – Minister of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, said, "The project aims to enhance the digital sovereignty of the Sultanate of Oman by establishing a national space infrastructure capable of providing independent and secure communication and data services. This will strengthen the national information security level, support the continuity of vital services under various conditions, and contribute to expanding coverage in rural areas, improving the quality of communications and internet services, in line with the digital transformation and aligned with the pillars of Oman Vision 2040."

His Excellency the Engineer explained that the project is considered a major contributor to the transfer and localisation of technical knowledge, as it includes intensive programs for training and qualifying Omani personnel at all stages of the project, from design to manufacturing, testing, and operation, so that the project is managed and operated with complete Omani efficiency after launch. It also includes enabling local companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to participate in the supply chain associated with the project, achieving the concept of local added value and enhancing the role of the private sector in the national space economy system. Additionally, the project aims to empower the scientific research and development system through the partnership between local universities and Airbus Defence and Space.

Technological and Space Empowerment

For his part, His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Amer Al-Shehdani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology and Head of the Project Negotiation Team, explained that "the project represents a qualitative leap in the Sultanate of Oman's journey towards technological and space empowerment. It reflects the government's commitment to building a sustainable digital economy based on knowledge and technology, which develops the national communications system to serve various vital sectors and supports efforts in digital transformation and smart services." Emphasising the importance of the national role of the Space Communications Technologies Company as a national operator and the executive arm of the project, ensuring the highest levels of efficiency, knowledge transfer, and the building of national capacities in this vital field.

His Excellency added that the project represents the culmination of intensive national efforts that have lasted for several years in studying and evaluating the optimal technical and engineering options for designing, manufacturing, and launching the Omani satellite, emphasising that cooperation with Airbus ensures effective institutional integration between government, investment, and private sectors to achieve the national vision for space and communications.

Global space communications

Alan Fauré, CEO of Airbus Space Systems, expressed his happiness at signing the contract to provide the Sultanate of Oman with fully flexible, world-class space communication capabilities through its first geostationary satellite. He emphasised their collaboration with the space communications company to support the implementation of its national satellite program and build its sovereign capabilities to serve its customers in the future.

A National Vision Towards Space

Dr. Saud bin Hamid Al-Shoaili, head of the National Space Program and head of the project management and follow-up office, stated that "the project is considered one of the most important strategic initiatives in implementing the National Space Policy (2023-2033), which aims to 'make the Sultanate of Oman the regional gateway for space services and technologies, enabling economic diversification and opening future opportunities,' to enhance the contribution of this sector to the GDP and expand the scope of national space services."

Dr. Saud Al-Sha'ili: "The project comes as a complement to the ministry's initiatives to empower and develop the space sector in partnership with the local private sector in areas such as launching satellites from Duqm Port through the 'Launch' program, national capacity-building programs to maximise the use of space services, the Oman Space Accelerators program, and geographical data and earth observation projects, forming an integrated system to support and empower the space economy in the Sultanate of Oman."

National partnership

Engineer Salem bin Said Al-Alawi, CEO of Space Communication Technologies Company, said:

"We take pride in the trust placed in us by the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, as well as the Oman Investment Authority, to take on the responsibility of operating and managing this national project. This project represents a major turning point in the history of space communications in the Sultanate of Oman, and we will work in collaboration with our partners at Airbus to implement the project according to the highest global standards."

Engineer Salem Al-Alawi added, "Through this project, we aim to build a purely Omani operational system, managed by qualified national hands, enabling the Sultanate of Oman to provide advanced and secure communication services." He explained that the company will operate the latest software-defined satellite with full flexibility and high capacity in the Ka-band, which will enable the company to offer competitive services to various targeted sectors.

With the signing of this strategic agreement, the Sultanate of Oman enters a new phase of technological and space empowerment, establishing an independent national infrastructure in the field of communications and supporting digital transformation efforts.