Polish companies SatRevolution from Wrocław and Tuatara from Warsaw, Virgin Orbit, belonging to the American Virgin Group and ETCO from the Sultanate of Oman, have signed an agreement on multilateral cooperation. Its goal is to carry out Oman’s first mission into deep space.

The joint venture aims to deliver a satellite designed and manufactured by the Polish company SatRevolution on board the new Virgin Orbit rocket to deep space for conducting pioneering scientific research and obtaining high-resolution images of the deep space.

The agreement was signed in the capital of Oman, Muscat. It also provides for the delivery of nanosatellites in orbit around the Earth by SatRevolution and the placement of them by the consortium, including the first nanosatellite in the history of Oman. The first of these missions is expected to start from the Cornwall base in Great Britain this year. The final parameters of both missions and scientific goals will be determined in the course of further studies.

Cooperating with Virgin Orbit as as a partner in such a bold project as deep space mission is a huge milestone for us – said SatRevolution CEO Grzegorz Zwoliński and added that the projects will contribute to the implementation of the nearest goals of the Sultanate of Oman, which include the modernization of the educational ecosystem, increased support for research and innovation, extending the support of own research in the field of cutting-edge technologies that will shape the world in the 21st century.

Virgin Orbit is a company founded in 2017 by Richard Branson. This NASDAQ-listed company began launching commercial and military satellites in 2021.

In December 2021, Virgin Orbit announced the investment in SatRevolution in the form of acquisition by Virgin Orbit of approximately 20% of the shares of the Wrocław-based company for approximately USD 30 million.

Adrian Andrzejewski