On Monday, 28th April, Advanced Rocket Technologies encountered a heavy wind forecast during the launch window for Horus 4, part of the inaugural Unity-1 mission from Etlaq Spaceport in Duqm, Oman.
Subsequently, on Sunday, 4th May, the A.R.T. assembly team identified a technical issue during landing leg deployment testing. As a result, the announcement of a new launch window has been placed on hold.
The rocket is currently undergoing thorough inspection by the A.R.T. engineering team to ensure complete mission safety and performance integrity. The next launch window is now scheduled for Q3 2025.
Horus 4 serves as an initial test vehicle as part of a full space launch programme. As such, and with a commitment to excellence, all elements of this launch offer an opportunity to learn and will be subject to meticulous analysis.
This was A.R.T’s first launch attempt from Etlaq Spaceport – the first commercial launch facility in the Middle East. The launch attempt and recovery reaffirms the operational capabilities of Etlaq as a reliable launch site and provides momentum for both regional and international space innovation.
“I am proud of the progress demonstrated by Unity-1 and the resilience of our team of designing, assembling and putting a vehicle on Etlaq launchpad in the Middle East,” said Seif Eldein Zahran, CEO of Advanced Rocket Technologies. “Unity-1 represents our vision of making space more accessible and collaborative. Missions of this nature are inherently challenging, and every mission is a learning opportunity. The events of today give us momentum as we prepare for future launches”.
A spokesperson from Etlaq Spaceport added, “Every mission is an opportunity to refine, learn, and advance. The joint decision to postpone the Unity-1 mission was made to maximize the likelihood of a successful test of A.R.T’s reusability systems. We are working closely with A.R.T. to identify the next optimal launch window.”
Unity-1 carried a bold new vision for aerospace development in the region and forms part of Phase 1 of Advanced Rocket Technologies’ three-phase plan to space.
