MUSCAT: The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology has unveiled a tender for the development of a space accelerator programme.
Overseen by the National Center for Space, Advanced Technology and AI, the tender is open to local and international companies specialising in accelerators within the space industry.
Through the programme, the Ministry aims to enhance economic growth in the space sector and increase its contribution to the national GDP. This is in addition to supporting entrepreneurs and local startups in the sector by providing resources, funding, and guidance to startups and small and medium-sized enterprises, to help them expand and bring innovative products to the local and global markets.
According to the Ministry, the programme will focus on various activities in the space sector including communications, earth observation, geospatial analytics, drones, artificial intelligence and machine learning, big data processing, data storage and preservation, space sustainability, and spacecraft simulation.
The programme is part of the country’s wider plan of boosting the space sector.
In 2023, the Ministry unveiled the National Executive Programme detailing a 10 year plan aimed at growing the sector.
Speaking to the Observer earlier this year, Under-Secretary of Communications and IT at the Ministry, Dr Ali al Shidhani unveiled that investments in the sector amounted to RO 20 million since the programme’s launch.
Some of the most notable local space companies include ETCO, the company behind Oman’s first satellite, Aman-1, which is also in the process of launching a joint venture for the manufacturing and launch of satellites in Oman; NASCOM, which is building the first spaceport in the MENA region in Duqm; and the Global Space and Technology Company, which is behind ZONE88, an initiative that will include a space habitat center and commercial space launching area, among other projects in the Special Economic Zone in Duqm.
Tender documents are available for collection until September 22, 2024, while the deadline for submitting bids is October 20, 2024.
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