Upcoming Space Calls (4.) under Horizon Europe Cluster 4 work programme for 2023-24 (Digital, Industry and Space; deadline 20 Feb 2024):
One of the goals of the Horizon Europe Cluster 4 work programme for 2023-24 (Digital, Industry and Space) is to fund competitive and trusted research and innovation technologies for European industry in key areas related to Space, in particular developing global space-based infrastructures, services, applications and data to foster the competitiveness of the EU space sector.
The Space Calls are grouped under Destination 5 - Open Strategic Autonomy in Developing, Deploying and Using Global Space-Based Infrastructures, Services, Applications and Data, which is structured along six headings:
1. Foster competitiveness of space systems
2. Reinforce EU capacity to access to space
3. Evolution of services: Copernicus
4. Development of applications for Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus and PRS and GOVSATCOM user activities
5. Innovative space capabilities: SSA, GOVSATCOM, Quantum
6. Targeted and strategic actions supporting the EU space sector
In addition, there are ‘Other Actions’ specific to Destination 5:
· Evolution of space and ground infrastructures for Galileo/EGNOS
· Development of innovative capabilities SSA-SST and GOVSATCOM
· Space entrepreneurship ecosystems (incl. New Space and start-ups)
Fourteen Space Calls opened on 22 Dec 2022 and closed 28 Mar 2023, with a combined budget of €137.5 million. Headings 1. and 2. each had 3 Calls which closed 28 Mar 2023, with a combined budget of €80.2m and no further planned Calls under these headings for 2024. Four new Space Calls - from Headings 3.-6. - will open on 21 Nov. 2023 and close on 20 Feb. 2024, with a combined available budget of €46.3 million.
Evolution of services: Copernicus (3.) has two Calls – opening on 21 Nov 2023:
1. Copernicus for Land and Water (HORIZON-CL4-2024-SPACE-01-35)
2. Copernicus for Security (HORIZON-CL4-2024-SPACE-01-36)
Proposals submitted under (1.) will deliver enhanced quality and efficiency of the Copernicus Land Monitoring service, which provides information on changes in land cover and land use over time to support sustainable land management practices, monitor deforestation and assess the impacts of natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and wildfires. (1.) has a total indicative budget of €4 million; proposals are welcomed in the €1.5 - €2 million budget range, with two projects anticipated to be funded and activities expected to achieve TRL (Technology readiness level) 5-6 by the end of the project.
Proposals submitted under (2.) will support an increase in service performance, outreach and scope of the Copernicus Security Services to better safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy and/or security in Space and will guarantee the security and integrity of EU space assets. (2.) has a total indicative budget of €8 million; proposals will typically have a €4 million budget, with two projects anticipated to be funded and activities expected to achieve TRL 5-6 by the end of the project.
A substantially sized (€14.2 million budget; application page limit - 90 pages) single proposal is expected to be funded under heading (5.) Innovative space capabilities: SSA, GOVSATCOM, Quantum, with one Call opening on 21 Nov 2023 – Quantum Space Gravimetry Phase-B study & Technology Maturation (HORIZON-CL4-2024-SPACE-01-64). Proposals submitted under this Call will prepare the next phases of the implementation of a Quantum Space Gravimetry pathfinder mission to support EU space policy and the EU Green Deal, ensure EU sovereignty and non-dependence for the development of capacities leading to the availability of quantum space gravimetry and enhance the TRL of the critical components necessary to build quantum gravimetry for space.
The final Space Call opening on 21 Nov 2023 is under heading (6.) Targeted and strategic actions supporting the EU space sector – Space technologies for European non-dependence and competitiveness (HORIZON-CL4-2024-SPACE-01-73). Proposals submitted under this Call will reduce the dependence on critical technologies and capabilities from outside EU for the EU space programme components (i.e. Galileo/EGNOS, Copernicus, Govsatcom and SSA) and other space applications. The Call has a total indicative budget of €20.1 million; proposals are welcomed in the €2 - €3 million budget range, with seven projects anticipated to be funded and activities expected to achieve TRL 5-8 by the end of the project. Please note the substantial application page limit size (75 pages) expected under this Call.
Deadlines for all four topics is 20 Feb 2024; for more information please contact Padraig Doolan here.
Horizon Europe Cluster 4 international ‘space brokerage’ partnering event on 2023 space calls (02 Feb 2023):
To support prospective applicants undertaking any of the 14 HORIZON-CL4-2023-SPACE-01 Space Calls (opened 22 Dec 2022; closed 28 Mar 2023), Horizon Europe Cluster 4 Space National Contract Points (NCPs) – in collaboration with the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) – hosted an international partnering event on Horizon Europe's space calls on Thursday 2 February 2023.
The event had 250 registrants, with 112 participants on the day (33% Irish) and 21 countries overall were represented. Two speakers from the European Commission – Isabelle Maës (Public Policy, Project Management, Marketing & Communication) and Reinhard Blasi (Market Downstream and Innovation Manager, EU Agency for the Space Programme, EUSPA) – presented the 2023 and 2024 Calls, while Thomas Chauvaux (Project developer in the space, industry, and advanced material sector at NCP Wallonie) presented on the role of the NCP.
Twenty-two EEN Co-organisers, spread across 15 territories were involved in promoting the event, which eventually featured 12 pitch presentations from proposal applicants. In the afternoon, 189 partnering meetings were conducted, with 152 “Opportunities” identified between event participants.
More information, including downloads of the Commission slidedecks & Pitch Presentations, as well as a video recording of the event are available here.