Oman's MBSat Signs Contract to Build Ka-band Satellite Ground Gateway

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 25, Oman's satellite communications operator MBSat reached a strategic cooperation agreement with ST Engineering iDirect to procure a next-generation satellite communications ground gateway and network management system, building ground infrastructure for the satellite communications service planned for launch in 2027. The project covers Oman and the Middle East region, adopts a software-defined ground system, is equipped with Ka-band gateway equipment, and connects to the communications capacity of the MBSat-1 micro geostationary orbit communications satellite.

The agreement specifies that ST Engineering iDirect will provide an integrated ground system solution. The equipment and software scope includes Ka-band satellite gateway infrastructure, the Intuition baseband system, the Foresight network management platform, and service activation and operations management tools. The supplier will also provide open application programming interfaces for integrating the ground gateway with other business systems, and will undertake platform training and full life-cycle technical support.

The Intuition system adopts a cloud-based software architecture and is responsible for satellite network operations and capacity resource management, enabling dynamic allocation and reconfiguration of communications resources according to the business requirements of different users. The Foresight platform is responsible for network operations monitoring, service management, and automated operations, supports interconnection between the ground system and the existing operating environment, and provides a unified management platform for subsequent network expansion.

The ground network will use the MBSat-1 satellite communications capacity built and delivered by the U.S. company Astranis. The satellite adopts the MicroGEO technology approach and is planned for launch in 2027 on the Astranis Block 3 mission. MBSat plans to provide satellite connectivity services to government agencies, telecom operators, enterprises, and critical infrastructure users, covering Oman's territory and surrounding areas.