Muscat (Oman), February 21, 2025: PLD Space, an international space services company with vertical integrated engineering and manufacturing, has announced that the Etlaq spaceport in Oman will be its second global launch base for MIURA launch vehicle family. This infrastructure joins the company’s Launch Complex at the CSG (Kourou, French Guiana), owned by CNES and ESA, thus expanding vehicle service deployment capabilities and increase commercial launch opportunities to meet the flight demand, especially for Middle East market.
The company plans to incorporate a third spaceport in the coming year to address proximity needs in a new region of the world and ensure the MIURA 5 flight manifest.
As a global ‘multi-spaceport’ company, PLD Space is committed to offering its customers greater proximity to launch bases and maximum flight availability, thus fulfilling the MIURA 5 roadmap, which includes 30 flights by 2030. To meet this manifest, the company needs to have operational launch capacity for three spaceports located in three different regions of the globe.
With its Launch Complex at the European CSG spaceport, PLD Space covers the Western market, primarily America and Europe. Now, the company has signed a strategic agreement with Oman’s Etlaq spaceport, enabling it to meet the needs of its customers in the Eastern market, such as the Middle East. In this way, PLD Space becomes the first major operator to launch from this spaceport.
The announcement was made on Thursday, February 20th, at the first annual Etlaq Launch Conference (ELC 2025), held in Muscat (Oman). The Co-founder and CBDO of PLD Space, Raúl Verdú, signed the agreement with the Founder & CEO of Etlaq, His Highness Sayyid Azzan bin Qais Al Said, at an event attended by distinguished figures from the local and regional space sector, along with government officials, experts, and executives from both local and international space companies, and representatives from academic institutions.
“Given the current shortage of launch infrastructure, we are excited to announce this strategic collaboration with Etlaq, which presents itself as a strategic solution to meet the needs of our customers globally,” says Verdú. “We will begin working with Etlaq on the design, engineering, and construction of our launch base with the goal of performing the first MIURA 5 flight from there in 2027.”
Due to its strategic geographic location, this launch infrastructure is an excellent solution for PLD Space’s customer service. Located in Duqm (southeastern coast of Oman), it is a highly flexible spaceport with access to all commercially relevant orbits. Its proximity to the equator provides higher efficiency for low-inclination orbits like GEO, as well as for medium inclinations like the orbit of the current International Space Station (ISS). Additionally, it allows direct access to high-inclination orbits such as Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) and Polar.
His Highness Sayyid Azzan bin Qais Al Said, Founder and CEO of Etlaq, commented on the agreement: “We are proud to reach this milestone with PLD Space. This collaboration with PLD Space demonstrates the increasing role of Oman in the global space sector. By working with international launch providers, we aim to enhance our capabilities and contribute to the growing demand for flexible, efficient, and well-positioned spaceports. We look forward to continuing to build partnerships that strengthen Etlaq’s role as a key player in the industry.”
Etlaq offers other differential advantages, such as its excellent logistical connections with PLD Space’s headquarters in Elche (Spain), drying stable weather conditions, and ample ocean downrange for safety.
Additionally, this infrastructure is suitable for launching the entire MIURA rocket family, including crewed missions of its LINCE capsule, making this collaboration a short- and long-term endeavor.
PLD Space is also committed to generating local value, following the same approach as in other regions where it maintains infrastructure. The company plans to create high-skilled jobs in the area, as well as establish a high value-added supply chain, which will help strengthen the efforts Oman has been making in the space industry for several years.
“We are excited to announce this strategic collaboration with Etlaq, the result of years of joint effort,” says Raúl Verdú. “This decision reflects our commitment to listening to our customers and adapting our services to their needs, particularly their demand for greater proximity to launch bases. The partnership with Etlaq enhances our flexibility and complements our existing services, reinforcing our ability to deliver on the promise of ‘Any Orbit, Any Time, Any Satellite.’ With expanded from equatorial orbits to dedicated inclination missions including SSO missions launching to the South, we are providing the solutions our customers have been seeking.”