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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

Core Objective: To develop capabilities for 'Act in Space' by advancing the detailed design of the logistics component for the In-Space Operations and Services (ISOS) pilot mission, aiming to enable transport of cargo (satAPPs and propellant) from an upper stage to a HOST component.
Target Recipient Type & Size: Open to a broad range of legal entities, including industry, SMEs, research institutions, universities, non-profit organizations, and public entities, with an expectation for cooperation among these actors.
SECTOR-SPECIFIC
Geographic Scope: Legal entities established in EU Member States, Norway, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Key Filtering Criteria: Focus on R&I for the ISOS pilot mission's logistics component, ensuring EU technology non-dependence, and integration with other ISOS mission elements.
Grant Frequency & Program Context: This is a single-stage call within the Horizon Europe Cluster 4 Work Programme 2025, suggesting it is part of a recurring program that funds space-related research and innovation.

Financial Structure

Minimum grant amount per project: 10,000,000 EUR
Maximum grant amount per project: 12,000,000 EUR
Total budget for this topic: 12,000,000 EUR (for 1 expected grant).
Currency: EUR
Financial and operational capacity requirements: To be assessed as described in Annex C of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial set-up: Governed by Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Declaration of ownership and control: A compulsory questionnaire must be completed by all participants.
Funding Type: Research and Innovation Actions (RIA).
Co-financing/Matching Funds: Not explicitly detailed for this specific topic, but Horizon Europe grants generally cover a high percentage of eligible costs.
Indirect cost policies: Not specified in this document, refer to Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreements.
STEP Seal projects may access combined or cumulative funding from other EU budget instruments, provided different costs are covered.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type & Legal Status

Must be a legal entity established in an eligible country.
Eligible countries: EU Member States, Norway, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Entities directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or entity may not participate, unless guarantees demonstrate no negative impact on the Union's strategic interests (e.g., control over the applicant, access to sensitive information, intellectual property ownership).

Geographic Location

Must be established in one of the specified eligible countries.

Technical & Operational Capacity

Proposals should demonstrate achievement of the required Technology Readiness Level (TRL) for all relevant technologies by the end of the project.
Expected to build upon existing European designs and technologies.

Partnership & Collaboration

Proposals are expected to promote cooperation between different actors (industry, SMEs, research institutions).
Expected to collaborate with projects selected under related ISOS topics (HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-21, 22, 24) and the ISOS Pilot Mission Coordination and Support Action (CSA) to ensure interoperability and information sharing.

Submission Requirements

Application Part B is limited to 60 pages.
A compulsory questionnaire on the declaration of ownership and control must be filled by all project participants and uploaded by the coordinator.

Exclusion Criteria

Proposals including entities established in countries outside the specified eligible scope are ineligible.

Application Process

Application Timeline & Deadlines

Call opening date: 2025-05-22
Submission deadline: 2025-09-25 00:00:00+0000
Submission procedure: Single-stage.
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: Details provided in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Required Documentation & Materials

Application form: Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) available in the Submission System.
Proposal document (Part B): Maximum of 60 pages.
Compulsory questionnaire: Declaration of ownership and control must be filled by all project participants and assembled into a single file by the coordinator for upload.

Submission Process

Applications must be submitted via the Electronic Submission Service on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Post-Award Requirements

Expected collaboration with projects funded under HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-21, 22, 24, and the ISOS Pilot Mission Coordination and Support Action.
A formal collaboration agreement will be required among all involved projects to ensure interoperability, information sharing, and efficiency.

Evaluation Criteria

Project Relevance & Alignment

Contribution to developing 'Act in Space' capabilities through an ISOS pilot mission related to logistics.
Alignment with the objective of creating a sustainable, highly automated, flexible, and economically viable space infrastructure, possibly incorporating circular economy principles.
Contribution to the detailed mission and system design of the logistics component, including maturation of enabling technologies.
Elaboration of clear interfaces with other ISOS mission components (servicing, HOST, satAPPs) and the ISOS Pilot Mission Coordination and Support Action (CSA).
Direct contribution to the overall ISOS Pilot Mission Objectives.
Development of clear use cases and relevant business models for governmental and/or commercial needs.
Ensuring the availability of results for subsequent mission phases.
Promotion of cooperation among diverse actors (industry, SMEs, research institutions).
Use of existing European technologies and building blocks to enhance European non-dependence and competitiveness.
Contribution to a balanced provision of expertise and capabilities from Member States and eligible Associated Countries.

Technical Quality & Innovation

Soundness of research and innovation actions to complete the detailed mission and system design for the logistics component.
Robustness of R&I on key enabling technologies for cargo transport (satAPPs, propellant) from upper stage to HOST component.
Effectiveness of proposed solutions for docking and propellant management/transfer with the HOST, preferably building on existing European designs.
Concrete plan for ensuring required technologies reach necessary TRL by project end.
Clear description of complementarities with previous and ongoing R&I from EU-funded and national activities (e.g., Horizon Europe, H2020, ESA).

Impact & Strategic Contribution

Expected contribution to EU's freedom of action in space.
Expected increase in resilience and protection of EU assets in space.
Expected fostering of a new in-space economy.
Maximizing EU technology non-dependence.
Originality and novelty of the mission concept compared to other international initiatives.
Contribution to advancing digital capabilities in space.
Enhancement of the sustainability and agility of EU's space assets.
Eligibility for a STEP Seal upon exceeding all evaluation thresholds, signifying contribution to strategic technologies.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory & Legal Compliance

Adherence to general conditions for Horizon Europe grants, including admissibility, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, evaluation, and legal/financial set-up, as detailed in relevant Annexes of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Compliance with EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.
Adherence to rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment, and Financial Capacity Assessment.
Projects using satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation, or timing data/services must integrate Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS data; other data can be used additionally.

Ethical & Data Protection Standards

Data protection and privacy regulations as per Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.
Ethical standards and requirements for research and innovation projects apply, though not explicitly detailed here.

Intellectual Property (IP) Policies

Ownership of intellectual property (IP) and results derived from the action must remain within the recipient entity during and after project completion.
IP must not be subject to control or restrictions by non-eligible countries/entities.
Access to IP from outside eligible countries, or its export outside eligible countries, is prohibited without approval from the eligible country of establishment.

Risk Management

Risk management expectations are implicitly part of project planning and implementation, as required for complex R&I projects, but specific details are not provided.

Strategic & Cross-Cutting Considerations

Contribution to the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) objectives, particularly in 'digital technologies' and 'deep tech innovation' sectors.
Projects will contribute to safeguarding and strengthening the EU value chain for critical technologies.
Integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research content should be addressed only if demonstrably relevant to the research objectives.

Collaboration & Interoperability

Mandatory collaboration and formalization via a collaboration agreement with other projects under related ISOS topics (HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-21, 22, 24 and ISOS Pilot Mission Coordination and Support Action) is required for interoperability, best practices, and efficient monitoring.

Grant Details