EIC Accelerator Challenge: Customer-driven, innovative space technologies and services

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Programme Category

EU Competitive Programmes

Programme Name

Horizon Europe (2021-2027)

Programme Description

Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.

Programme Details

Identifier Code

HORIZON-EIC-2023-ACCELERATORCHALLENGES-07

Call

EIC Accelerator Challenge: Customer-driven, innovative space technologies and services

Summary

The overall goal of this Challenge is to ensure Europe is able to service and protect its own Space infrastructure, avoiding the risk of losing its strategic autonomy, and enhance the competitiveness of its space industry by encouraging the emergence of innovative, interoperable, scalable, and autonomous “customer-driven” innovative space technologies and services.

Detailed Call Description

The specific objectives of this Challenge are:

  • To have the means to inspect spacecraft in orbit, to augment satellite capabilities and resilience;
  • To develop autonomous and in-space collision avoidance capabilities e.g., use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) for collision avoidance manoeuvres, space debris positioning data and develop in-space mobility propulsion capabilities;
  • To further mature assembly and manufacturing in orbit with different applications (e.g., in-orbit, cis-lunar exploration, Earth observation, space debris inspection, space situational awareness, etc.);
  • To collect space debris with a view for recycling, recovering and transforming purposes (e.g., microgravity platforms);
  • To design and construct a R&I low Earth orbit unmanned platform assembled in orbit and to host in-orbit microgravity experiments or collect/re-use space debris considering and make use of a sustainable, modular concept for the platform and its operation;
  • To scale up disruptive innovations for space situational awareness (SSA), in- space logistics, Earth observation, navigation, satellite communications (SATCOM), and others.

This Challenge aims at developing:

  • an European servicing and re-use/recycling capability for servicing European space infrastructure, while contributing to the management and reduction of space debris;
  • timely and cost-effective Space Traffic Management services for on-time collision avoidance manoeuvres;
  • the re-use, refurbish or recycling of a spacecraft components or launchers upper stages;
    scientific and technological solutions for in-orbit services and re-use/refurbishing and recycling of old spacecraft (e.g. satellites, rockets upper stages or critical raw materials etc.);
  • Innovative propulsion solutions for in-space mobility of spacecraft;
  • Innovative technologies for space transportation, Earth observation, navigation, satellite communications, space science, space situational awareness.

It is expected that EU companies generate new contracts from new markets, together with significant cost-savings for satellite owners. Affordable and cost-effective on orbit satellite servicing technologies will first benefit the EU space economy, through an increased competitiveness of EU space industry.

Applications to this EIC Accelerator Challenge may request an investment component of above €15 million in duly justified cases (a request above €15 million investment is allowed in duly justified cases -see Accelerator call text).

In order to protect the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, the contract may set specific conditions and milestones if this is necessary to ensure that technologies of a strategic nature for open autonomy are not directly or indirectly controlled by third countries not associated to Horizon Europe or by legal entities of non-associated third countries.

Call Total Budget

€1 135 239 839

Thematic Categories

  • Research, Technological Development and Innovation
  • Space

Eligibility for Participation

  • Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions

Eligibility For Participation Notes

To be an eligible applicant to EIC Accelerator, you must apply as one of the following eligible entities:

  • a single company classified as a SME and established within a Member State or an Associated Country (see Annex 2 of the EIC Work Programme 2023); or
  • a single company classified as a small mid-cap (up to 499 employees) established in a Member State or an Associated Country, but only for exceptional cases for rapid scale up purposes ; or
  • One or more natural persons (including individual entrepreneurs) or legal entities, which are either:

a. From a Member State or an Associated Country intending to establish an SME or small mid-cap (as defined above) in a Member State or Associated Country by the time of signing the EIC Accelerator contract or, in case the equity only is awarded, at the latest when agreeing on its investment component;

b. Intending to invest in an SME or small mid-cap in a Member State or an Associated Country and who may submit a proposal on behalf of that SME or small mid-cap, provided that a prior agreement exist with the company. The contract will be signed with the beneficiary company only; or

c. From a non-associated third country intending to establish an SME (including start-ups) or to relocate an existing SME to a Member State or an Associated Country. Your company must prove its effective establishment in a Member State or an Associated Country at the time of submission of the full proposal.

Applicants from the United Kingdom can apply to the EIC Accelerator, but can only request and receive funding in the form of “grant only”. The signature of any grant agreement will be subject to the positive conclusion of the association negotiation with the United Kingdom.

Call Opening Date

08/12/2022

Call Closing Date

08/11/2023

National Contact Point(s)

Research and Innovation Foundation

29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia,
P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Websitehttps://www.research.org.cy/en/

Contact Persons:
George Christou
Scientific Officer
Email: gchristou@research.org.cy

Nedi Kaffa
Scientific Officer
Emailnkaffa@research.org.cy