by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

LONG BEACH, Calif. — With three successful launches under its belt, Virgin Orbit is planning two flights this summer to demonstrate its agile air-launched booster system, including the first-ever satellite launch from the United Kingdom, a company executive said this week.

MUSCAT, Oman (SatRevolution PR) — The Sultanate of Oman has selected Poland’s SatRevolution S.A. (“SatRev”) to deliver and operate its proprietary nanosatellite technologies alongside partners Virgin Orbit, a leading US-based launch company, Polish capital group and AI data analytics specialists TUATARA, and Omani-based emerging technology innovator ETCO, under a framework agreement for collaboration on Oman’s first mission to deep space and for delivering small satellites to Low Earth Orbit, the first in the country’s history. The framework agreement was signed today in Muscat by the five consortium members.

• Oman selects innovative space companies Virgin Orbit, SatRevolution, TUATARA and ETCO as mission partners to launch the sultanate’s first satellites to Low Earth Orbit
• The first satellite is scheduled to launch from the UK’s spaceport Cornwall in 2022
• The Oman mission to deep space will be targeted for launch as early as Q3 2024

MUSCAT, Oman (Virgin Orbit PR) — The Sultanate of Oman, leading US-based launch company Virgin Orbit, Polish Small Satellite manufacturer and operator SatRevolution, Poland-originated AI data analytics specialists TUATARA, and Omani-based emerging technology innovator ETCO, have together signed a Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration on Oman’s first mission to deep space. The same agreement also lays the foundation for the consortium to collaborate on delivering additional small satellites to Low Earth Orbit, including the first in Oman’s history.

The agreement focuses on a partnership aiming at setting up a satellite manufacturing facility in Oman, the first initiative of this kind in the Sultanate.

DUBAI, UAE, October 27th, 2021 (D-Orbit PR) — Space logistics company D-Orbit announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with International Emerging Technology Company (ETCO), a technology leader in the Sultanate of Oman. The document sets the basis for a potential partnership aiming at setting up a satellite manufacturing and space logistics facility in Oman.

The contract was signed on October 26th, during the 72nd International Astronautical Conference, by Luca Rossettini, D-Orbit’s CEO, and Ammar Al Rawahi, Director of Astro and Space Technologies at ETCO. The signing happened in the presence of Giorgio Saccoccia, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and Dr. Saoud Al Shoaili, Head of the National Space Program at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT).