Oman space conference 2026 opens in Muscat

Muscat — The Oman Space Conference 2026 opened on Sunday at the InterCity Hotel Muscat, drawing around 70 participants from government entities, space-sector institutions, industry and academia. Organised by SpaceTech in Gulf in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, the two-day event will examine the development of Oman’s space sector, the National Space Policy and the Executive Programme for Oman’s space sector, and how these frameworks align with Oman Vision 2040.

"Delegates are exploring how Earth observation applications and space data can be used to improve government services and boost efficiency across key economic and social sectors," organisers said, highlighting practical uses in agriculture, the environment and the marine domain.

The conference programme focuses on a mix of policy, capacity building and commercial opportunity. Sessions centre on the National Space Policy and the Executive Programme for Oman’s space sector and their role in supporting the objectives of Oman Vision 2040. Participants are addressing the translation of high-level policy into operational projects and services that can deliver measurable benefits to public agencies and private operators.

Key themes and participation

• Capacity building: “empowering local companies and institutions” and forging public–private–academic partnerships to develop an integrated national space ecosystem.
• Applications: using Earth observation and space-derived data to improve government services and boost efficiency in agriculture, environmental monitoring and the marine environment.
• Technology localisation: discussions on localising space technologies and services to strengthen national capabilities and support strategic interests and national security.
• Investment and cooperation: evaluating promising investment opportunities and advancing space policies and international cooperation.

Organisers said a major focus of the gathering is capacity building — the conference aims to identify practical steps to "empower local companies and institutions" and to create partnerships between the public and private sectors and academia. Delegates are examining how to strengthen national capabilities that support both economic development and national security priorities.

The agenda also covers efforts to localise space technologies and services in Oman, and to advance space policies that enable international cooperation. Discussions are expected to include mechanisms for translating space data into actionable insights for ministries and agencies, including pilots or proof-of-concept projects that use Earth observation data for crop monitoring, coastal surveillance and environmental management.

Outlook

Participants framed the conference as part of a broader push to position Oman to capitalise on the expanding space economy by leveraging data and technologies to address domestic development challenges. Organisers emphasised that aligning the National Space Policy and the Executive Programme with Oman Vision 2040 will be crucial to ensure space investments deliver social and economic returns.

As the conference continues, attention will turn to concrete recommendations for capacity building, a roadmap for localisation of technologies, and proposals to attract targeted investment. With roughly 70 delegates on hand, the event aims to turn policy discussion into practical initiatives that can be piloted and scaled within Oman’s public and private sectors.