MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman is carving out a distinct role in the regional space economy, positioning itself not as a launch-heavy power but as a gateway for space-enabled applications, with a sharp focus on downstream services, private-sector leadership and rapid execution.
Speaking at the Middle East Space Conference in Muscat, Dr Ali bin Amer al Shaithani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, outlined a pragmatic vision centred on economic impact rather than prestige missions.
“Our vision is very clear”, Dr Al Shaithani said. “We see Oman becoming a gateway for space applications, particularly in the downstream industry, where the real economic value lies”.
Rather than competing directly with established spacefaring nations on upstream activities such as launch vehicles or deep-space missions, Oman is prioritising data-driven services, satellite-enabled solutions and commercial applications aligned with national needs — ranging from logistics and environmental monitoring to food security and urban planning.
This strategy is anchored in the National Space Policy and Executive Programme, which includes more than 15 projects, many of which have already been initiated. The immediate priorities, according to Al Shaithani, are capacity building, infrastructure development and talent formation.
“Our main focus today is building capabilities — upskilling youth, developing infrastructure and creating the right ecosystem to support the space economy”, he said. “The numbers we are seeing are encouraging, but our ambition goes further”.
A central pillar of Oman’s approach is the belief that the private sector should lead, with government acting as an enabler rather than an operator. Al Shaithani cited the Oman Space Accelerator Programme as a key example of how policy clarity can unlock market participation.
“The Space Accelerator opened the market to new companies and guided them towards real opportunities in the space sector”, he said. “This is how we translate policy into action”.
Among the flagship initiatives is OmanSat, a national satellite communications project designed not only to provide sovereign capability but also to catalyse broader knowledge transfer, infrastructure development and downstream services.
“OmanSat is not just about having a satellite”, Dr Al Shaithani explained. “It is about building national expertise, exchanging knowledge and creating value-added services that benefit the wider economy”.
One of the most tangible demonstrations of Oman’s investment logic, he noted, was the spaceport initiative, which showcased how private-sector-led projects — supported by government facilitation — can attract capital and accelerate execution.
“The spaceport was a clear example of what is possible”, he said. “It was driven by the private sector, with government support and it showed decision-makers that space investments can deliver visible outcomes”.
Speed of execution, Dr Al Shaithani argued, is Oman’s competitive advantage.
“What really distinguishes Oman is execution speed”, he said. “Government entities are aligned, decisions are made quickly and there is a shared belief that experimentation is necessary”.
This clarity, he added, has already translated into new services that did not exist in Oman just a few years ago, including Earth observation, health monitoring and remote-sensing applications delivered by emerging private firms.
International partnerships also remain a cornerstone of Oman’s space ambitions. On the sidelines of the conference, Oman signed new coordination frameworks aimed at deepening cooperation with global space actors.
“International partnership is essential in the space sector”, Dr Al Shaithani said. “We do not have all the skills locally yet, so we must work with experienced partners to accelerate learning and delivery”.
With a clear policy framework, growing private-sector participation and a disciplined focus on downstream value, Oman’s space strategy reflects a broader economic philosophy: measured ambition, commercial relevance and execution over spectacle.
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