Space Communication Technologies (SCT), the Sultanate of Oman’s national satellite operator, has signed an agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to build OmanSat-1, a next-generation OneSat fully reconfigurable high-capacity telecommunications satellite. This project forms a key pillar of Oman’s National Satellite Programme, supporting the nation’s long-term strategy to expand sovereign satellite communications infrastructure for both government and commercial needs.
OmanSat-1 will operate in the Ka-band and provide coverage across Oman, its territorial waters, the broader Middle East, East Africa, and parts of Asia. Thanks to its fully digital, reprogrammable architecture, the satellite will be capable of adapting coverage, bandwidth, and frequency allocation during its operational life to align with market demands. Target services include government networks, corporate connectivity, broadband, oil and gas communications, financial services, aviation, and maritime sectors.
Under the contract, Airbus will supply a complete turnkey solution, encompassing satellite design and manufacturing, advanced ground control systems, and launch services. OmanSat-1 represents the tenth satellite ordered as part of Airbus’ OneSat line.
HE Eng Said Bin Hamoud Almaawali, Oman’s Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, stated that this partnership strengthens Oman’s national space capability, supports knowledge transfer, and ensures long-term strategic autonomy in satellite communications.
Eng Salim Al Alawi, CEO of SCT, noted that selecting OneSat enables the company to deploy the most advanced software-defined satellite platform currently available, ensuring flexible beam management, high throughput, and the ability to serve evolving market sectors across a wide geographic region.
Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus, expressed that the company is proud to support Oman’s entrance into regional satellite operations and looks forward to long-term cooperation in building national expertise. The OneSat programme leverages Airbus’ Eurostar heritage and OneWeb constellation experience, and has been developed with support from the European Space Agency, CNES, the UK Space Agency, Germany’s DLR, and Spain’s AEE.
SCT is owned by ITHCA Group under the Oman Investment Authority and is responsible for the execution and implementation of the OmanSat-1 programme, including technical oversight, operations management, and service deployment. Its vision is to become a leading regional satellite operator offering secure, robust and integrated services.
