Muscat-  The Oman Space Conference 2026 kicked off 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 conference examines the development of Oman’s space sector, its priorities, and the practical applications of space technologies.

Discussions 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.

Delegates are also exploring how Earth observation applications and space data can be used to improve government services and boost efficiency across key economic and social sectors — including agriculture, the environment, and the marine environment.

A major focus is capacity building: empowering local companies and institutions, and forging partnerships between the public and private sectors and academia to develop an integrated national space ecosystem.

The agenda also covers localising space technologies and services, strengthening national capabilities in support of strategic interests and national security, and advancing space policies and international cooperation.

Participants are further examining promising investment opportunities in the sector.

The conference comes amid growing interest in the space sector’s role in driving economic and knowledge-based development, and in leveraging space technologies and data to deliver innovative solutions to developmental challenges — positioning Oman to capitalise on the rapidly expanding space economy