The Karman X1 mission lifted off from Etlaq Spaceport shortly after dawn, with vehicle AZAD "The Dreamer" completing both stage burns and returning telemetry for the full flight. Launched by Oman-based Stellar Kinetics MCT and Singapore-based OculloSpace in Etlaq's Genesis Program, Karman X1 is the first mission at Etlaq to pair Omani and Singaporean launch operators. The two-stage, 4.3 meter technology demonstrator, weighing 26 kilograms, ascended nominally, holding a steady path until the upper stage came down safely in the ocean. Onboard the flight was a 1 kilogram experimental payload from Australia’s Orbit2Orbit.
Etlaq Spaceport, the MENA region’s first commercial spaceport operator and a subsidiary of the National Aerospace Services Company (NASCOM), hosted the Karman X1 mission in its Genesis Program. The program was established in 2024 with the aim to streamline suborbital and experimental rocket launches with a focus on speed, cost-efficiency, and resilience. For this campaign, Etlaq teams prepared the launch site, supported vehicle integration, and managed range safety.
H.H. Azzan Kais Al Said, CEO of Etlaq Spaceport, said:
"Karman X1 is the first mission at Etlaq to bring an Omani and a Singaporean launch operator together, with an Australian payload on board. That is a milestone for us, and it shows how Oman can connect partners across the globe. Every Genesis Program mission adds to our operational experience, and what we learned from this flight will make the next one stronger. I am especially proud of our team who worked alongside our partners at every stage. We thank every partner and authority who made this mission possible."
AZAD "The Dreamer" is the flagship vehicle of OculloSpace's AZADRocket Program, which is dedicated to experimental rocket development, high-altitude flight testing and aerospace technology validation. Stellar Kinetics MCT led the launch operations at Etlaq, drawing on its experience at the spaceport since the Duqm-2 campaign in July of 2025. The two operators worked as a single launch team. Karman X1 was The Dreamer's first flight.
Dr. Franco Gan, Founder of OculloSpace, said:
"Today's launch of AZAD 'The Dreamer' from Etlaq Spaceport is a milestone not just for OculloSpace, but for the region. The AZADRocket Program was designed to prove that a homegrown, Asia-led team can take a rocket from concept to flight, and today we did exactly that. This is the first step in building independent, accessible launch capability for ASEAN and the GCC, and in showing the next generation of engineers that space is within their reach."
Saqer Al Rushaidi, Co-Founder of Stellar Kinetics MCT, said:
"Karman X1 was a fast, focused campaign, and it was rewarding for our team to return to Etlaq. This time, we moved some of the manufacturing closer to the launch site. The solid motors were built in-country, helping us drive higher local content and skill in Oman’s upstream space activities. Our team worked closely with OculloSpace to make this mission a success, proving that operators from the Middle East and Asia can plan, integrate and fly as one team."
“The Dreamer” carried Snowball, a 1 kg experimental payload from Orbit2Orbit's Lab2Space program, which helps qualify research hardware. The mission continues Orbit2Orbit's validation of its Bio-PHU technology stack, a specialized aerospace and biotechnology isolation payload. Life sciences research in space, from studying how structures and living cells respond to extreme mechanical stress to evaluating the effects of microgravity on biological samples, depends on hardware that has been tested in real flight. By hosting payloads like Snowball, Etlaq is growing its role as an accessible home for researchers worldwide looking to take life sciences experiments from the lab into flight.
Bradley Hatton-Jones, Founder and CEO of Orbit2Orbit, said:
"Seeing Snowball successfully fly on the Karman X1 mission is a fantastic milestone for Orbit2Orbit and for the growing space ecosystem in Oman. We’re grateful to Etlaq, Stellar Kinetics, OculloSpace and the AZADRocket team for creating the opportunity to put real hardware into flight and gather data in a real launch environment. Snowball was built to help us learn, validate and feed directly into the next generation of Orbit2Orbit systems, and this mission gives us exactly that opportunity. We’re proud to have been the payload partner on Karman X1 and excited to build on what we have achieved together."
Karman X1 shows how a mission from Oman can connect partners across Asia and Oceania. It also marks another step for Etlaq Spaceport and the Sultanate of Oman in building the people, processes and partnerships behind a commercial launch capability. With each mission, Omani teams gain hands-on experience in launch operations, and international partners gain a trusted place to test, learn and fly again.