Opportunity Details

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Closing soonGrantTrackPartner

Reinforcing EU autonomous access to space through EU-based spaceports

European Commission·Multilateral

This Horizon Europe Innovation Action funds projects that reinforce EU autonomous access to space by supporting EU launch service providers and the development of launch-related ground facilities in the EU. The expected outcome is improved resilience, diversification, and cost-effective access to space for EU space missions and commercial services. Projects are expected to reach TRL 8 by the end of the action.

Go / No-Go Memo

This opportunity looks relevant, but the strongest path is likely through a partner or consortium.

Partner

This is a highly specialized EU space infrastructure innovation call with eligibility restricted to legal entities established in Member States, Norway, and Iceland, and it does not substantively align with IFRC or National Society mandates. The source is sufficiently clear on scope and restrictions, so the opportunity is mainly relevant only as a low-priority monitor for non-Movement partners.

Strategic fit

strong

Private Sector is the strongest profile match at 75/100; relevance is 5/100.

Eligibility risk

moderate

Eligible applicant types include "> General conditions 1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide . 3. Other Eligible Conditions 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). In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and others.

Deadline feasibility

moderate

The call closes in 7 days, so proposal capacity is the main constraint.

Funding attractiveness

strong

The tracked ceiling is €22.6M across 2 awards.

Partnership need

moderate

This may be stronger with a Private Sector lead or co-applicant based on fit scores.

Recommended next action

Ignore

Expected Outcome

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:

  • Reinforcing EU strategic autonomy by reducing non-EU dependencies for accessing space;
  • Providing an EU access to space necessary for EU space missions through state of the art and innovative solutions;
  • Diversifying the access to space providers in the EU;
  • Contributing to expand commercial access to space offers and services in the EU;
  • Reinforcing Access to Space to ensure that Europe maintains and improve autonomous, reliable and cost-effective access to space.

Scope

The EU needs to improve the resilience of its access to space for the implementation of EU space programme. New entrants will contribute to this endeavour. Projects are expected to support EU launch service providers to set up launch pad(s) in the EU territory enabling to perform EU launch services.

Projects are expected to contribute to the development of necessary ground facilities to conduct launch services from the EU territory; e.g. launch integration, storage and operation facilities, launch pad and complex, control command facility, payload processing and integration facilities, tracking means, safety means, propellant storage... EU launch service provider(s) are expected to be part of the project consortium and be the ultimate users of the resulting facilities making use of EU launch vehicles for providing EU launch services. Proposals under this topic should explore synergies and be complementary to past actions related to ground segment for launch services, in particular the topics: HORIZON-CL4-2023-SPACE-01-23 and HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-11. All the activities should be complementary with national and ESA on-going or future activities, in particular those decided at the ESA council Ministerial Meeting in November 2025.

In this topic, 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. Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects Activities are expected to achieve TRL 8 by the end of the project. The reference TRL definition is the ISO 16290:2013 applicable to the space sector.

SDG 9ImplementationHORIZON-CL4-2026-SPACE-03-11EU Funding & Tenders