Oman’s MB Group and San Francisco-based Astranis Space Technologies Corp. said on Monday they have signed a nine-figure agreement for the procurement of a dedicated communications satellite to support Oman’s national requirements.
Under the agreement, Astranis will manufacture and operate a MicroGEO satellite that will provide Oman with exclusive access to bandwidth for government and national applications. The satellite will be dedicated to Omani use and will not be shared with other customers, the companies said.
The deal forms part of Oman’s National Space Program and reflects a broader trend in which governments are turning to commercial satellite providers to secure independent space-based communications infrastructure, rather than relying solely on shared commercial constellations.
Astranis specialises in small geostationary satellites weighing about 400 kilograms, which it offers under a “satellite-as-a-service” model. This approach is designed to reduce the cost and development time compared with traditional large geostationary spacecraft.
The companies did not disclose technical details of the satellite or a launch timeline.
Governments in several countries have recently announced similar arrangements with commercial satellite firms to support national communications, Earth observation or security-related missions. Earlier this year, France said it would work with Loft Orbital on a sovereign synthetic aperture radar satellite, while other nations have announced smaller-scale sovereign monitoring projects.
Omani officials have said investment in space-based infrastructure supports the country’s long-term development strategy, including objectives set out under Oman Vision 2040, which focuses on digital infrastructure, connectivity and economic diversification.
Industry analysts say demand for dedicated national satellite capacity is expected to grow as governments seek greater control over communications resilience and data security, alongside the continued expansion of large global satellite constellations.
