Satellite

WASHINGTON - The National Reconnaissance Office is strengthening its commercial partnerships while fundamentally reshaping how it acquires intelligence data from the private sector. The agency announced contract extensions for four leading Earth observation providers and unveiled plans for a new acquisition framework designed to offer greater stability and longer-term funding opportunities. The NRO’s Commercial Systems Program Office awarded a 23-month extension to HawkEye 360 for radio frequency geolocation capabilities and 15.5-month extensions to Capella Space, ICEYE US, and Umbra for synthetic aperture radar data services. While contract values remain classified, these extensions underscore the NRO’s continued reliance on commercial capabilities to augment its classified satellite constellation.

Oman has officially entered a new era of space technology with the signing of a major agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to design, build, and launch OMANSAT-1, the Sultanate’s first high-capacity communications satellite. This milestone project represents a pivotal moment in Oman’s growing space program and its broader strategy to enhance digital infrastructure and sovereignty. According to Oman’s state news agency Oman Observer, OMANSAT-1 will deliver high-capacity communications services across Oman and its territorial waters, with extended coverage reaching key regions including the Middle East, East Africa, and Asia. The satellite’s wide footprint positions Oman as an emerging player in regional space-based communications infrastructure.