Omani officials have laid out plans for the development of the Middle East's first spaceport, which they hope will be operational by 2030.
The commercial spaceport, called Etlaq, is designed to host all sizes of launch vehicles in the port town of Duqm, and would meet US Federal Aviation Administration standards to attract international launch companies.
The National Aerospace Services Company (Nascom), which is overseeing the spaceport, unveiled its plans at the Middle East Space Conference in Muscat, more than a year after initially announcing the project.
Nascom chairman Azzan Al Said told The National that the Etlaq Space Launch Complex was in the planning phase and development would start by 2025, with the spaceport set to become fully operational by 2030.
“The plan is for a large spaceport that will be able to accommodate all sizes of launch vehicles from micro all the way up to large orbital and suborbital,” said Mr Al Said.
“It will comprise of three launch complexes, one which supports medium to large [rockets], another one that is small to medium, and one micro.”
Lifting off from Etlaq spaceport
Companies such as Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic have considered the Middle East, especially the UAE, to launch their space tourism flights.
But nothing has materialised so far, with reports that US regulations – specifically the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) – restrict American companies from exporting certain technology.
Mr Al Said that Nascom would work towards “removing that barrier” once it starts getting interest from launch companies.
“There are things such as ITAR and safeguard agreements which would have to be put in place between Oman and the United States for them to operate here,” he said.
“It's a regulatory barrier but it's one that's easy to open up discussion on once we actually get interest.”
Ideal location for rocket launches
The port’s equatorial positioning makes it an ideal spot for launches, as the rocket can take advantage of the Earth’s rotational speeds.
“Oman has a unique offering in terms of the inclination and the proximity to the equator,” said Mr Al Said.
“The only other port closer to the equator is the one in French Guiana, but we don't see them as direct competitors because those ones are in completely different hemispheres.
“The other reason that makes Oman attractive for space launches is that [to] the east is the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
"Having that downrange clearance makes it much more favourable and safer for launches to take place without putting people in harm's way.”
Boost for region's space ambitions
The UK's Launch Services Limited was contracted by Nascom last year to develop engineering designs for the spaceport.
Andy Bradford, Launch Services Limited chief executive, told The National that the addition of a spaceport would boost the region's space economy.
“Having a regional spaceport and space launch capabilities is a good thing, and most regions that are developing space economies are looking at that the same way the UK did it,” he said.
“But if it's in the right place and it's attractive, you can attract international business, which is also what they want to do.
“The actual geographical location is really good for putting things into space because it's coastal and you can launch in a number of different directions, which means you can go into a number of different orbits, all of which have different commercial applications.”
The US and Russia have the world's oldest spaceports, dating back to the 1950s.
Companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are using commercial spaceports in the US to launch tourists, astronauts and payloads into space.
China is also emerging as a space power, with several operational spaceports.
The European Space Agency currently uses a spaceport in French Guiana to launch its satellites.
There is also an FAA-licensed spaceport in New Zealand that US company Rocket Lab operates for private orbital launches.
The Indian Space Agency uses a space pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh for its rocket launches.
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SQUADS
UAE
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice-captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
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Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
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Rating: 4/5
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
