Oman to get dedicated MicroGEO satellite by 2027

MUSCAT: Oman’s MB Group has signed a strategic agreement with US satellite company Astranis to deliver the Sultanate of Oman’s first dedicated MicroGEO communications satellite, contracted under Astranis’ Block 3 launch with SpaceX later this year, with services expected to commence by early 2027.
The deal is part of a wider $200 million MB Group investment package aligned with Oman Vision 2040 that includes ground stations and supporting infrastructure to provide what the partners describe as sovereign, secure connectivity for government, enterprises and communities.
The agreement was announced on January 26 in statements issued from San Francisco and Muscat, framing the project as an expansion of satellite broadband capacity across key Middle East markets, with Oman positioned as the anchor for a dedicated national asset rather than shared regional capacity.
At the signing ceremony, Mahfouz Al Shaikh, Executive Vice-President, said the agreement between MBCTLC, a subsidiary of the Mohammed Al Barwani Group, and Astranis marked “a strategic step” in building Oman’s satellite communications ecosystem and strengthening national digital infrastructure.
The event was held under the auspices of Dr Ali bin Amer al Shaithani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology.
Al Shaikh said the initiative is designed with “sovereign safeguards” and would provide secure, dedicated satellite coverage, with services expected to begin by early 2027. He added that the project is intended to enhance reliability through an integrated in-country ground station and distributed backup teleport stations and linked it to wider goals including digital-economy growth, investment attraction and quality job creation.
Usama al Barwani, Vice Chairperson of MB LLC, positioned the agreement as part of a diversification drive into advanced technology. MB Group, he said, had been looking for an entry point into communications and AI-linked opportunities, building on its industrial base in oil and gas and mining. He described Astranis as a disruptive player in the space economy and said the group sees strategic value in moving into next-generation connectivity solutions.
Astranis co-founder and CEO John Gedmark said the partnership would expand sovereign connectivity in the region, “starting in Oman” and described the agreement as building a digital backbone that can power the economy, connect communities and enable innovation aligned with Oman Vision 2040 objectives.
In remarks delivered at the ceremony, Gedmark argued that sovereign, secure communications are increasingly being treated as strategic infrastructure. In a more uncertain global environment, he said, countries are placing greater emphasis on secure connectivity with strong control and resilience, comparable in importance to critical energy and transportation systems.
Astranis said it builds small geostationary communications satellites for high-orbit networks and provides dedicated, secure connectivity for enterprise and sovereign customers. MB Group said it operates across more than 20 countries, with businesses spanning energy, mining, marine engineering, aviation, manufacturing, real estate and strategic investments.