Muscat: The fan zone, announced at the Etlaq Conference in Muscat, will be free to enter and is expected to open this summer. Attendees can register for tickets via an online portal, which will soon be launched on Etlaq’s official website and social media platforms. The ticket will remain valid for the entire launch window, ensuring visitors can still experience the lift-off even if delays occur due to weather or technical issues.

The first mission of the year, Unity-1, is scheduled for late April, followed by Duqm-2 in June, Duqm-3 in October, Ambition-3 in November, and Duqm-4 in December. The spaceport made history with its first experimental launch in December 2024, reaching a potential altitude of 140km above sea level.

Etlaq’s Genesis Programme, launched on Thursday, aims to establish a strong foundation for full-scale commercial operations by 2027. The spaceport is designed to accommodate suborbital and experimental rocket launches, providing a testing ground for emerging space startups, including the Kuwait Space Rockets organisation, which will launch its Ambition-3 vehicle to 15km altitude.

Oman’s strategic investment in space technology aligns with broader regional efforts to expand aerospace capabilities. While Saudi Arabia explores high-altitude space tourism and the UAE develops horizontal launch sites, Oman is positioning itself as a hub for vertical rocket launches, meeting US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards to attract global aerospace firms.