The "Atlaq" spaceport in Duqm, Oman successfully conducted a test launch of the Azd rocket as part of the Karman X1 space mission. The rocket, measuring 4.3 meters in length and weighing 26 kilograms, was launched from the spaceport and followed a stable ascent trajectory, with flight data accurately transmitted to the mission control center.
Launch Details
The goal of this mission was not to reach space, but rather to focus on testing the launch process, the rocket's performance during flight, and the technologies and systems used in the mission. The Karman X1 mission is the second successful launch from the Duqm spaceport, following the successful Duqm-1 launch in December 2024.
Development of International Collaborations
The team at the Oman spaceport prepared the launch site, assisted in integrating the rocket components, and managed safety operations within the launch area. This mission is part of the Formation program, designed in 2024 by Launch to facilitate suborbital and experimental launches, emphasizing speed, efficiency, cost, and adaptability.
This mission also helps strengthen the expertise of Omani teams in launch operations and international collaborations, supporting the development of commercial launch capabilities from the Sultanate of Oman.
His Excellency Sayyid Azan bin Qais Al Said, CEO of the spaceport, announced that Karman X1 is the first mission at this facility that brings together an Omani launch operator, Stellar Kinetics MCT, and companies OculloSpace from Singapore and Orbit2Orbit from Australia. He noted that this mission represents the expansion and diversity of the spaceport's international partnerships and its ability to attract space missions from various countries.
Sayyid Azan described this launch as a significant milestone for the spaceport, demonstrating Oman's capability in engaging with international partners and building operational expertise through successive missions. The Duqm spaceport project is one of the strategic projects supported under the national space program of the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, aimed at attracting investment, technology transfer, and supporting localization in Oman.
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