Preparing demonstration missions for Earth Observation and Satellite telecommunication for Space solutions (Space Partnership)

The Horizon Europe grant opportunity, designated as HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-32, focuses on preparing demonstration missions for Earth observation and satellite telecommunication under the Space Partnership. This call aims to enhance mid-to-high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) developments to boost the competitiveness of the European space sector. The goal is to support projects that develop advanced technologies while promoting digitalization within the space industry.

Eligible applicants include industry, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), research institutions, and academia, all of which must be legally established in EU Member States, Norway, or Iceland. The call encourages collaboration among diverse stakeholders but is restrictive to ensure security and strategic assets of the EU.

The funding type is a lump sum grant, providing fixed contributions regardless of actual costs, simplifying the financial process for beneficiaries. Projects can expect funding between €5 million to €10 million each, from a total budget of €26 million to support about four projects. Notably, no mandatory co-funding is required, although additional voluntary investment from partners is welcomed.

The application process involves a single-stage procedure, opening on March 10, 2026, and closing on September 3, 2026. It emphasizes the use of existing EU technologies, such as Copernicus and Galileo/EGNOS, especially for projects utilizing satellite-based Earth observation or positioning services.

The target sectors include satellite communication, Earth observation systems, and digital technologies, with expected outcomes like improved secure satellite services and enhanced real-time capabilities for Earth observation applications. Projects should approach commercial viability with plans for practical demonstrations, which will be evaluated based on set criteria without a predefined success rate, suggesting a competitive environment.

The call aims to position the EU as a leader in global space solutions, reinforcing both technological independence and security through collaboration and innovation in the space sector.

This is a Horizon Europe call for proposals focusing on preparing demonstration missions for Earth Observation (EO) and Satellite telecommunication (SatCom) within the scope of the co-programmed European Partnership on Globally Competitive Space Systems (Space Partnership). The call is part of the "digitalisation for commercial space solutions" initiative. The goal is to enhance the value of end-to-end EO and SatCom systems through digitalization, focusing on mid to high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) developments.

The expected outcomes of the projects include:
Favouring a competitive and sustainable European Space Sector.
Enabling the European Space Industry to maintain a significant share of the global connectivity market.
Advancing Earth observation and SatCom payloads, technologies, and processing means (on-ground and in space).
Fostering AI across space systems.
Enhancing the security of SatCom and EO services, supporting advanced technologies for both ground and space commercial applications.
Creating an end-to-end demonstrator for collaborative Earth Observation and Satellite telecommunication for Space solutions.

The scope of the call covers several Research and Innovation (R&I) areas:
R&I on End-to-End SatCom Mission capabilities, secure SatCom services, satellites as network nodes in a distributed system, radio-frequency payloads, flexible and modular testbeds for complex satcom system architectures, testbeds for processing RF signal directly onboard the spacecraft, and compatibility of different elements and operations concepts.
R&I on LEO or VLEO earth observation equipment, subsystems, applications, and services enabling real-time reaction, on on-board processing to optimize EO missions’ performance or timeliness, EO ground segment interfaces and data flow standardisation and adoption, and smart multi-source EO intelligence information fusion also on ground.
R&I on synergetic technologies, building blocks, and processes with applicability across both EO and SatCom next generation operation systems, such as operational optimisation for increasing lifetime, design optimisation for increasing efficiency, advanced techniques for large system of systems or multi-mission operation optimisation, as well as tip & cue demonstration combining RF and EO using inter-satellite links (including optical).

Developments should aim at EO and Telecom technologies on-ground in relevant environment and in orbit software demonstration when flight is feasible and adding value focusing on software and digital tools (e.g. algorithms, functions). Proposals may contribute to one or more of the above R&I areas, however the main area addressed should be clearly and unambiguously identified in the proposal text.

The call encourages cooperation between industry, SMEs, research institutions, infrastructures, and academia. It emphasizes the use of existing EU technologies and building blocks to contribute to EU non-dependence and strengthen competitiveness. Activities should be complementary to H2020, Horizon Europe funded projects, national activities, and ESA activities. The integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content should be addressed only if relevant in relation to the objectives of the research effort.

The admissibility conditions include proposal page limits and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS if projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services. Participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Norway, and Iceland. Entities controlled by non-eligible countries may not participate unless they can demonstrate that their participation would not negatively impact the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security.

Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Eligible proposals exceeding all evaluation thresholds will be awarded a STEP Seal. Grants will be awarded to applications to ensure a balanced portfolio covering all the development areas described in the scope section, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but at least also to one proposal that is the highest ranked within each development area, provided that the applications attain all thresholds. Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021. Legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including a standard application form (HE RIA, IA) and evaluation form templates. Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements (MGA) such as the Lump Sum MGA, call-specific instructions, a detailed budget table (HE LS), and guidance on lump sums. A compulsory questionnaire on the declaration of ownership and control is to be filled by all project participants.

Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various guidance documents and manuals.

There are eight specific funding opportunities listed under this call, each with a single-stage submission process, opening on March 10, 2026, and closing on September 3, 2026:

HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-11: HORIZON Innovation Actions, with a budget of 22,590,000 EUR and contributions ranging from 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 EUR, aiming for 2 grants.
HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-31: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of 12,000,000 EUR and contributions ranging from 3,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR, aiming for 3 grants.
HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-32: HORIZON Innovation Actions, with a budget of 26,000,000 EUR and contributions ranging from 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 EUR, aiming for 4 grants.
HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-61: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of 3,920,000 EUR and contributions ranging from 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 EUR, aiming for 2 grants.
HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-81: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of 12,740,000 EUR and contributions ranging from 12,000,000 to 13,000,000 EUR, aiming for 1 grant.
HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-82: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of 6,860,000 EUR and contributions ranging from 6,000,000 to 7,000,000 EUR, aiming for 1 grant.
HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-85: HORIZON Innovation Actions, with a budget of 3,920,000 EUR and contributions ranging from 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 EUR, aiming for 1 grant.
HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-86: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of 2,940,000 EUR and contributions ranging from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 EUR, aiming for 1 grant.

This Horizon Europe call is essentially a funding opportunity aimed at boosting the European space sector by supporting research and innovation in satellite communications and earth observation technologies. It's all about making space-based services more competitive, secure, and responsive to global needs. The EU is looking for projects that can develop and demonstrate new technologies, particularly those that leverage digitalization and artificial intelligence, to improve satellite payloads, data processing, and overall system efficiency. The call encourages collaboration between different types of organizations, from industry giants to small research teams, and emphasizes the use of European-made components to strengthen the EU's independence in space technology. Successful projects will not only receive funding but also a "STEP Seal," recognizing their strategic importance. The EU wants to see projects that can turn innovative ideas into real-world applications, contributing to a more sustainable and competitive European space industry.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types include industry, SMEs, research institutions and infrastructures, and academia. The call explicitly promotes cooperation between these different actors. Participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Norway, and Iceland. Entities controlled by non-eligible countries or entities may participate under specific conditions and guarantees.

Funding Type: The funding type is primarily a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the type of MGA (Model Grant Agreement) being HORIZON-AG-LS. Both HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) are used.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity encourages cooperation between different actors, suggesting a consortium approach is favored, although not explicitly mandated.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is limited to legal entities established in EU Member States, Norway, and Iceland. Some non-EU/non-Associated Countries may have specific provisions for funding their participants, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The program targets the space sector, specifically focusing on satellite communication (SatCom), Earth Observation (EO), and New Commercial Space Transportation Solutions. It also emphasizes digital developments and "digitalisation for commercial space solutions," indicating a focus on ICT and digital technologies within the space sector. Further target sectors include artificial intelligence, security, and advanced technologies for both ground and space commercial applications.

Mentioned Countries: The explicitly mentioned countries are EU Member States, Norway, and Iceland. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries are mentioned as well.

Project Stage: The projects should focus on Mid to High Technology Readiness Level (TRL) developments. The aim is to strengthen competitiveness and contribute to the preparation of EO and SatCom demonstration missions, suggesting a focus on development, validation, and demonstration stages.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call:
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-11: €10,000,000 to €15,000,000
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-31: €3,000,000 to €6,000,000
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-32: €5,000,000 to €10,000,000
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-61: €1,500,000 to €2,500,000
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-81: €12,000,000 to €13,000,000
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-82: €6,000,000 to €7,000,000
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-85: €3,000,000 to €4,000,000
 HORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-86: €2,000,000 to €3,000,000

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic is provided, allowing for an estimation based on the number of expected applications.

Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly stated, but it is implied that the lump sum grant covers eligible costs as defined by the Horizon Europe Programme.

Summary:
 This Horizon Europe call, under the SPACE destination within Cluster 4, focuses on "Preparing demonstration missions for Earth Observation and Satellite telecommunication for Space solutions (Space Partnership)." It aims to foster a competitive and sustainable European space sector by supporting research and innovation actions (RIA) and innovation actions (IA) in satellite communication (SatCom), Earth Observation (EO), and new commercial space transportation solutions. The call is part of a broader effort to integrate digital technologies into space solutions.

 Eligible applicants include industries, SMEs, research institutions, and academia from EU Member States, Norway, and Iceland. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying amounts depending on the specific topic. Projects should aim for Mid to High TRL levels, focusing on developing and demonstrating key technologies for EO and SatCom missions.

 The call emphasizes several key areas for R&I, including:
 End-to-End SatCom Mission capabilities and secure services.
 LEO or VLEO earth observation equipment and applications.
 Synergetic technologies applicable across EO and SatCom systems.

 The application process is a single-stage open call, with a deadline of September 3, 2026. Proposals should clearly identify the main R&I area addressed and promote cooperation between different actors. The call also encourages the use of existing EU technologies and building blocks to strengthen EU non-dependence and competitiveness.

 Overall, this call seeks to advance the European space sector by supporting innovative projects that enhance satellite communication, earth observation capabilities, and the integration of digital technologies in space-based services. It aims to create more flexible, reactive, and secure space applications, contributing to the EU's strategic assets, interests, autonomy, and security.