France steps up engagement in Oman’s emerging space industry

MUSCAT 5 NOV
MUSCAT: France has joined a growing number of countries and international space industry players seeking to support Oman's ambitions to develop a competitive space sector, bringing a high-level delegation of French technology companies to Muscat for the inaugural French Space Days Oman 2026.
Organised by Business France Middle East in partnership with the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) and the French Embassy in Oman, the event showcased France's expertise across satellite manufacturing, Earth observation, space surveillance, optical communications, launch infrastructure and advanced aerospace engineering.
The initiative comes amid growing international interest in Oman's emerging space ecosystem, which is attracting foreign technology partners, investors and specialist service providers as the Sultanate of Oman pursues its ambitions in satellite communications, space applications, commercial launch services and indigenous technological capabilities.
French Ambassador to Oman Nabil Hajlaoui welcomed the inaugural event as an important milestone in bilateral cooperation, highlighting the unprecedented participation of French industry representatives.
'For the first time in Muscat, in the Sultanate of Oman, [we are hosting] the first Space Days event,' the Ambassador said, noting that the French companies were showcasing their expertise to prospective Omani partners in a sector offering extensive opportunities.
Business France Middle East reported the participation of 15 French companies, representing a broad spectrum of advanced space technologies and services.
Among them were Safran, Exail and CT Engineering Group, bringing expertise in aerospace systems and engineering; Infinite Orbits, specialising in satellite servicing; Look Up Space, focused on orbital surveillance; and Unseenlabs, a provider of satellite-based radio-frequency intelligence.
Other participants included Cailabs and Skynopy, offering advanced satellite communications solutions; U-Space, specialising in small satellites; and SpaceDreamS and RIDE!, representing space infrastructure and launch-related services.
Dr Saud al Shueili, Head of the National Space Programme at Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, described the event as an important platform for strengthening industry-level cooperation.
'This event is the right platform to bring private players together to explore opportunities and collaborations in both countries,' he said, highlighting the growing momentum behind bilateral engagement.
Importantly, cooperation between Oman and France's space industry is already taking shape through the OmanSat initiative, a flagship undertaking aimed at developing Oman's satellite communications capabilities.
'We have already started working with the French space industry. The major project that Oman is working on is OmanSat, which kicked off last year, and we are looking forward to future collaborations as well,' Dr Al Shueili stated.
French involvement in Oman's space ambitions is already anchored by a major industrial partnership with Airbus Defence and Space, which secured a contract in November 2025 to design, manufacture and launch OmanSat-1, the Sultanate of Oman's first national geostationary communications satellite.
The project is being implemented by Oman Investment Authority (OIA)-backed Space Communication Technologies (SCT), with US-based Kratos subsequently appointed to deliver the integrated ground segment. Scheduled for launch in September 2028, OmanSat-1 is expected to strengthen Oman's digital sovereignty while facilitating technology transfer, specialised training and the development of indigenous satellite operating capabilities.