Muscat – Oman’s commercial spaceport operator Etlaq and France-based commercial launch service provider Latitude have signed a Letter of Intent establishing a framework for the first experimental launch of the latter’s vehicle from Etlaq Spaceport. The agreement was concluded during His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s state visit to France on Monday reflecting the growing collaboration and strengthening ties between Oman and France.

The cooperation marks the first step towards a long-term presence for Latitude in the sultanate. Both parties are advancing joint work across ground infrastructure, operations planning, and regulatory requirements as they progress towards the experimental first launch of Latitude’s launcher from Etlaq Spaceport, currently targeted for late 2027.

Etlaq Spaceport’s proximity to the equator offers particularly favourable geographical conditions for the dedicated launch missions Latitude is developing, enabling access to low Earth orbit, sun-synchronous and mid-inclination trajectories from a single, strategically positioned site. In a global landscape where sovereign, commercially available launch infrastructure remains limited, Etlaq offers new space operators a mission-enabling solution.

Welcoming Latitude as its latest partner at Etlaq, CEO Azzan Kais Al Said said the collaboration marks “a significant milestone, not just for Etlaq, but for the broader relationship between Oman and France, two nations with a shared vision for what space can unlock for humanity”.

He added, “Working with partners like Latitude strengthens our capabilities and reinforces the growing confidence international players have in Oman as a space hub. We look forward to building a partnership that cements Etlaq’s role as a key gateway to space, and we are proud that France is part of that journey.”

On the occasion, Olivier Zarrouati, Chairman of the Strategic Committee of Latitude, said, “Space has become an arena where tomorrow’s strategic balances are being shaped. This signing, on the sidelines of the meeting between President (Emmanuel) Macron and His Majesty the Sultan, is no coincidence: it reflects the shared ambition of France and Oman to build an independent space capability together. Latitude is proud to be its industrial vehicle.”

A statement said the agreement reflects the strengthening relationship between Oman and France, underpinned by the sultanate’s evolving space regulatory environment – one that has already demonstrated a commercially oriented approach and a commitment to enabling international launch operations.