Oman completed a much-anticipated test flight of a high-altitude rocket on Thursday, marking a significant step forward for the Middle East's soaring space ambitions.
The landmark launch from the underdevelopment Etlaq Spaceport in southern Duqm had been scheduled for lift-off on Wednesday, before being delayed due to adverse weather.
The 6.5-metre rocket, named Duqm-1, blasted off as conditions improved sufficiently to allow the maiden mission to get off the ground.
It is an experimental high-altitude launch vehicle designed to rise to an altitude of 140km above sea level, crossing the Karman line, recognised as the boundary of space, at speeds of 1,530 m/s.
“Oman successfully flies into space. The experimental scientific space rocket (Duqm-1) successfully launches into space, making history as the first space launch experiment in the Middle East,” Oman's Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technology posted on X shortly before 11am on Thursday.
Oman said the momentous event had established its position as a “regional gateway to space”. The National Aerospace Services Company, which is overseeing the spaceport, conducted the launch.
“Oman’s geographical location near the equator and orbital paths reduces costs and time required for launching various payloads,” the MTCIT previously posted on X. “Its coastal stretch along the Arabian Sea offers a safe and ideal area for hosting space projects.”
The flight will help to test the suitability of the site's geography, environmental conditions and infrastructure for spaceport operations. It will also offer crucial insights into factors like wind patterns and launch logistics, as well as provide operational experience, paving the way for future space missions and the Sultanate moving closer to a fully functional spaceport.
What are Oman's ambitions in space?
After this launch, the National Aerospace Services Company, or Nascom, plans to carry out three more flights from the spaceport in 2025, with exact dates to be announced later. The organisation had told The National in a previous interview that commercial operations were expected to fully begin at the site by 2030.
Anna Hazlett, founder of space advisory firm AzurX, said Oman’s plans for a spaceport could also help create jobs locally. “The Duqm spaceport also presents economic benefits for Oman. Driving high-skilled job creation in aerospace engineering, logistics, and data analytics, while encouraging foreign investment in the country’s budding space sector,” she told The National in an earlier interview. “For neighbouring countries, such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the spaceport represents a complementary platform for scientific collaboration and regional capacity-building efforts.”
The spaceport is being designed to accommodate all sizes of launch vehicles with three complexes to support micro, large orbital and suborbital rockets. 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 – restrict American companies from exporting certain technology.
Nascom said it was working to “remove that barrier” as it makes progress with its spaceport. The American company ABL Space Systems signed an agreement with Etlaq Spaceport to explore the possibility of launching its RS1 rockets.
While Oman will host traditional vertical launch pads, the UAE is looking to host horizontal ones. Radian Aerospace is developing a horizontal take-off and landing, single-stage, fully reusable spaceplane called Radian One. A prototype is being tested at a small airfield in Abu Dhabi.
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Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
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
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
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Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
