PPPA-2026-Game-Changing Innovation for European Launch Solutions

The PPPA-2026 Game-Changing Innovation for European Launch Solutions is a competitive EU funding opportunity aimed at enhancing the European space industry's competitiveness through support for innovative technologies in launch solutions. This call is open to various EU entities including private companies, research institutes, universities, and public-private partnerships, emphasizing commercialization and exploitation. The funding mechanism is through grants, specifically structured as PPPA Action Grant Budget-Based funding with a total budget of €20 million, which will be distributed across approximately three grants ranging from €5 million to €7 million each.

Eligible applicants must work as part of a consortium, focusing on technological developments that ensure complementarity with national and European efforts. Projects are expected to be at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) between 3 and 6 at the start and aim for operational capability by 2035. The target sectors include launcher propulsion systems with specific emphasis on staged combustion engines, hybrid propulsion, aerospike engines, and autophage propulsion.

Applications will be accepted through a single-stage submission process starting from January 29, 2026, until the deadline of April 29, 2026. The nature of support is financial, with no non-monetary services provided. Proposals must address compliance with export restrictions and demonstrate a clear commercialization plan, as well as contain robust technology roadmaps.

In summary, this initiative seeks to drive radical innovations in space launch technologies with the goal of securing Europe's strategic autonomy and enhancing its access to space within a competitive global landscape. Applications should focus on substantial breakthroughs in launcher propulsion technology that align with the EU's vision for sustainable and efficient space access.

The EU Funding Opportunity PPPA-2026-LAUNCHERS-GAMECHANGING aims to foster innovation and collaboration within the European space industry, specifically targeting game-changing innovations for launch solutions. The call seeks to attract dynamic innovators, mobilize private investment, and encourage the development of an EU innovative access to space ecosystem. The ultimate goal is to deliver new solutions that enhance the resilience and competitiveness of EU access to space.

The objective of this action is to support EU entities in developing innovations that can revolutionize the future of access to space. These innovations should improve the competitiveness of the European space industry and go beyond the current state of the art. A game-changing innovation is defined as a radical breakthrough that transforms an industry or market by introducing new ways of thinking or working, creating new markets, and unlocking opportunities for growth. The EU aims to foster novel approaches to improve the competitiveness of the European space industry, focusing on cheaper, more sustainable, agile, and resilient access to space.

The scope of the call focuses on funding activities that support the development of game-changing innovations for European launch solutions, building on the outcomes of the previous prize action (PPPA-2025-LAUNCHERS-INNOVATIONS). The innovations should address launcher propulsion systems, related subsystems, and composing materials in areas such as: Staged combustion engine, Hybrid propulsion, Aerospike engine, Autophage propulsion. The technology readiness level (TRL) at the start of the project should be between 3 and 6.

These innovations must have a disruptive potential and a positive impact on the competitiveness of access to space and EU strategic autonomy. The innovations are expected to reach operational capacity (qualification or first use in a launcher) by 2035, and proposals should include a preliminary technology development plan. Applications can target engines of various thrust levels, including low-thrust (<200 kN), medium, and high-thrust levels. Proposals should explain how the engine engineering fits within technical roadmaps and future exploitation and commercial plans.

Proposals should address the performance of the targeted system, considering factors such as Specific Impulse, Thrust-to-Weight Ratio, Chamber pressure, and environmental, manufacturing, and operability indicators. Activities can be complementary to national or other European-level activities, which should be clearly identified and described in the proposal.

To achieve the non-dependence objective, applicants must include a dedicated paragraph covering: The description of the technology and/or technology processes and high-level breakdown of the space EEE component supply chain to be used. Applicants should demonstrate that the supply chain and final product are free of any legal export restrictions or limitations, such as those established in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or equivalent instruments applicable in other non-EU jurisdictions. Applicants shall also report, in a dedicated subsection, if and which part of the supply chain is affected by non-EU export controls such as the Export Administration regulation (EAR) i.e. EAR99. The description of the suitable technology development process that has been identified and set up within the consortium for avoiding export restrictions of non-EU states and assess vulnerabilities of the supply chain.

The admissibility conditions include adhering to the proposal page limit and layout, as described in section 5 of the call document and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible countries are described in section 6 of the call document, along with other eligibility conditions. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are detailed in section 7 of the call document. The submission and evaluation processes are described in section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual. Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in section 9 of the call document. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in section 4 of the call document. Legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in section 10 of the call document.

The call document and annexes include the call document itself, application form templates available in the Submission System, the PPPA Model Grant Agreement (MGA), the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, the EU Grants Annotated Model Grant Agreement, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Statement.

The budget for the PPPA-2026-LAUNCHERS-GAMECHANGING topic is EUR 20,000,000. The call is a single-stage process, with the opening date on January 29, 2026, and the deadline on April 29, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The indicative number of grants is 3, with contributions ranging from EUR 5,000,000 to EUR 7,000,000.

There are partner search announcements available for collaboration on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

To start the submission process, applicants should access the Electronic Submission Service via the submission button, selecting the appropriate type of action and model grant agreement. Existing draft proposals can be accessed by logging into the Funding & Tenders Portal and selecting the My Proposals page.

For help, applicants can contact the provided email address or consult the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ and IT Helpdesk. The Online Manual provides a step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.

In summary, this EU funding opportunity aims to stimulate innovation in European launch solutions by providing grants to EU entities developing game-changing technologies. The focus is on propulsion systems, subsystems, and materials with a technology readiness level between 3 and 6, targeting operational capacity by 2035. The call emphasizes the importance of EU strategic autonomy and non-dependence on non-EU technologies, requiring applicants to address supply chain vulnerabilities and export restrictions. The total budget is EUR 20 million, with individual grants ranging from EUR 5 to 7 million, and the submission deadline is April 29, 2026. This initiative seeks to bolster the competitiveness and resilience of the European space industry by fostering groundbreaking advancements in access to space technologies.

Eligible Applicant Types: The call is open to EU entities. The specific types of entities eligible are further detailed in section 6 of the call document, which covers eligibility conditions. Dynamic innovators are encouraged to apply.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically PPPA Project Grants (PPPA-PJG). The Model Grant Agreement is a PPPA Action Grant Budget-Based [PPPA-AG].

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call targets EU entities, implying that the geographic eligibility is focused on the European Union.

Target Sector: The target sector is space, specifically focusing on game-changing innovations for European launch solutions. This includes launcher propulsion systems, related subsystems, and composing materials. Specific areas mentioned are staged combustion engines, hybrid propulsion, aerospike engines, and autophage propulsion.

Mentioned Countries: The call is focused on the European Union, and mentions non-EU jurisdictions in the context of export restrictions (ITAR, EAR).

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is mid-maturity, with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) between 3 and 6 at the start of the project. The innovations are expected to reach operational capacity by 2035.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic is EUR 20,000,000. The indicative grant contribution ranges from EUR 5,000,000 to EUR 7,000,000.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage open call. The submission session is available as of January 30, 2026.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This EU funding opportunity, titled "PPPA-2026-Game-Changing Innovation for European Launch Solutions," aims to bolster the competitiveness of the European space industry by supporting the development of groundbreaking innovations in launch solutions. The call specifically targets EU entities working on launcher propulsion systems, related subsystems, and materials, with a focus on technologies like staged combustion engines, hybrid propulsion, aerospike engines, and autophage propulsion. Projects should be at a mid-maturity level (TRL 3-6) and have the potential to significantly impact the EU's strategic autonomy and access to space, targeting operational capacity by 2035. The EU has allocated a total budget of EUR 20,000,000 for this call, with individual grants ranging from EUR 5,000,000 to EUR 7,000,000. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline of April 29, 2026. Applicants are expected to address the performance of their targeted systems, including aspects like Specific Impulse, Thrust-to-Weight Ratio, and environmental indicators. Furthermore, proposals must include a dedicated section detailing the technology and supply chain, ensuring compliance with export restrictions and assessing supply chain vulnerabilities. This initiative seeks to foster collaboration, attract investment, and encourage the development of innovative solutions that will shape the future of European access to space.