New space transportation solutions and services

Closed

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-CL4-2023-SPACE-01-22

Call

New space transportation solutions and services

Summary

There are emerging opportunities in space transportation out of which some are recently started to being seized by European actors characterised by new uses of space (e.g. small satellites, larger constellations and payload recovery) new destinations (e.g. direct GEO, re-entry from LEO).

Detailed Call Description

The maturation could go up to subsystem and system level technology demonstration and must include at least one of the following areas and linked technologies:

Technologies for recovery of Space Transport vehicles elements:

  • Technologies to be matured in order to allow the re-entry of launcher elements through the entire atmospheric flight domain from in-orbit up to soft landing on earth: Controlled hypersonic flight, the highly dynamic decent and landing maneuvre, aerodynamics and aerothermal design, attitude control system, actuators and propulsion system, advanced GNC design, propellant management/sloshing and system transient dynamics, low cost re-entry protection system, low cost, low weight and high performance structures.
  • Technologies enabling recovery, high reuse and limited refurbishment need of launcher fairing: low cost and scalable concept design, structure with early consideration of manufacturing, distancing devices, recovery means solution, demonstrators for recovery and maintenance/overhaul.
  • Technologies maturation for micro launcher first stage and booster stage. reusability concepts that have a strong potential for cost reduction.

Space Transportation technologies in support to In-orbit servicing systems:

  • Technologies allowing the in orbit reuse of a green and sustainable cryogenic elements for multiple operations and missions in-orbit: green propulsion and green Kick stage, versatile operation of cryogenic upper stages as on-orbits platforms, cryogenic propellant management for long duration missions, high multi-restart capability for in-space cryogenic engines, in-orbits cryogenics tanks, electric pumps for in-space propulsion, in-space refueling for cryogenic systems, interface and connection to in-space solutions, innovative low cost materials for in-space applications, attitude control systems (RACS), advanced avionics, GNC (Guidance, Navigation and Control).

The proposed activities should enable new technologies and subsystems (including common building blocks) in the field of green propulsion, micro launchers and associated launch facilities, kick stage, orbital propulsion and distancing, attitude and landing, re-entry solutions, smart satellite deployment systems/dispensers, for space transportation including also new routes up to Lunar orbit or surface.

Call Total Budget

€23,10 million

Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

100%

EU Contribution: between €4,00 and €10,00 million

Thematic Categories

  • Research, Technological Development and Innovation
  • Space

Eligibility for Participation

  • Large Enterprises
  • Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
  • State-owned Enterprises

Eligibility For Participation Notes

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).

Participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Norway, Iceland and the United Kingdom.
The eligibility of entities established in the United Kingdom to participate is conditional upon the following: (i) the United Kingdom is associated to Horizon Europe, and (ii) the United Kingdom’s equivalent space calls are published and open to the EU entities on a reciprocal basis.”

For the duly justified and exceptional reasons listed in the paragraph above, in order to guarantee the protection of the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a noneligible country or by a non-eligible country entity, may not participate in the action unless it can be demonstrated, by means of guarantees provided by their eligible country of establishment, that their participation to the action would not negatively impact the Union’s strategic, assets, interests, autonomy, or security. The guarantees shall in particular substantiate that, for the purpose of the action, measures are in place to ensure that:

a) control over the applicant legal entity is not exercised in a manner that restrains or restricts its ability to carry out the action and to deliver results, that imposes restrictions concerning its infrastructure, facilities, assets, resources, intellectual property or know-how needed for the purpose of the action, or that undermines its capabilities and standards necessary to carry out the action;
b) access by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity to to sensitive information relating to the action is prevented; and the employees or other persons involved in the action have a national security clearance issued by an eligible country, where appropriate;
c) ownership of the intellectual property arising from, and the results of, the action remain within the recipient during and after completion of the action, are not subject to control or restrictions by non-eligible countries or non-eligible country entity, and are not exported outside the eligible countries, nor is access to them from outside the eligible countries granted, without the approval of the eligible country in which the legal entity is established.

Call Opening Date

22/12/2022

Call Closing Date

28/03/2023

National Contact Point(s)

Research and Innovation Foundation

29a Andrea Michalakopoulou Street, 1075 Nicosia
T.Th. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
+357 22205000
Email: support@research.org.cy

Dr Angelos Ntantos
Scientific Officer
Telephone: 35722205033
Email: antantos@research.org.cy

Dr Ioannis Theodorou

Scientific Officer
Telephone: 35722205038
Email: itheodorou@research.org.cy

(Publish Date: 29/12/2022-for internal use only)

EU Contact Point

Εuropean Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation

https://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/research-and-innovation_en#contact