Space Research: EU to better protect, observe and compete - Hoofdinhoud

Earth Observation, Protection of European Assets in and from Space, as well as Competitiveness of European Space Technology, are the areas covered by three of the four Space Research calls for proposals which opened last week.

Four calls of proposals in Space Research opened on 4 November, three of which will be managed by the Research Executive Agency (REA). For these three calls a total amount of €70.5 million is available. The fourth call (Applications in Satellite Navigation-Galileo-2015) will be managed by the European GNSS Agency (GSA) in Prague. The deadline for applications is the same for all calls: 8 April 2015.

The themes covered by the three REA calls are the following:

• 1) 

  Earth Observation (EO)

This purpose is to capitalise on the major investments already made in Earth Observation space infrastructure, and in the Union’s Copernicus programme. With the availability of Copernicus data, actions with high business potential and developing space enabled EO products and applications close to the market will be funded.

EO-1-2015: Bringing EO applications to the market

EO-2-2015: Stimulating wider research use of Copernicus Sentinel Data

EO-3-2015: Technology developments for competitive imaging from space

A total of €25 million is available for this call.

• 2) 

  Protection of European Assets in and from Space (PROTEC)

The aim of this theme is to fund research which will help reduce the impact of collisions between active satellites and orbital debris. This is a challenge that needs to be addressed at multiple levels including prevention, mitigation and protection.

PROTEC-1-2015: Passive means to reduce the impact of Space Debris

A total of €6.5 million is available for this Call.

• 3) 

  Competitiveness of European Space Technology: Technology and Science (COMPET)

Competitiveness, non-dependence and innovation of the European space sector must be ensured by fostering the development of space technologies. Following the equivalent 2014 call, this call maintains the support in certain key areas (including critical technologies, access to space, low TRL technologies) while extending its reach to other areas of space science and exploration and new domains of international cooperation. The space sector is a strategic asset contributing to the independence, security and prosperity of Europe and its role in the world.

COMPET-01-2015: Technologies for European non-dependence and competitiveness

COMPET-02-2015: Independent access to space

COMPET-03-2015: Bottom-up space technologies at low TRL

COMPET-04-2015: Space exploration - Habitat management

COMPET-05-2015: Scientific exploitation of astrophysics, comets, and planetary data

COMPET-06-2015: International Cooperation in space science

A total of €39 million is available for this call.

EU space research is identified by Horizon 2020 as one of Europe's 'key industrial technologies' highlighting its potential for EU innovation and competitiveness. It is supported under the priority "Industrial Leadership". Its main objective and challenge is to foster a cost-effective competitive and innovative space industry (including SMEs) and research community to develop and exploit space infrastructure to meet future Union policy and societal needs.

Work Programme