ExpectedOutcome:
Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:
- To reduce the dependence on critical technologies and capabilities from outside EU for the EU space programme components (i.e. Galileo/EGNOS, Copernicus, Govsatcom and SSA) and other space applications;
- To develop or regain in the mid-term the European capacity to operate independently in space;
- To enhance the technical capabilities and overall competitiveness of European space industry vendors on the worldwide market;
- To open new competition opportunities for European manufacturers by reducing dependency on export restricted technologies that are of strategic importance to future European space efforts;
- To improve the overall European space technology landscape and complement and/or create synergy with activities of European and national programmes either in the space or non-space fields.
Scope:
Research and innovation to mature critical space technologies that currently have dependency issues for use in the EU space programme components and discussed within the frame of the European Commission-ESA-EDA Joint Task Force (JTF).
The technology areas are:
- Low shock Non-Explosive Actuators (NEA) for smallsats [Target TRL 7]
- High data rate (12.5 to 28 Gbps or higher 56 Gbps), low consumption, short range links [Target TRL 7]
- Power laser sources in the eye-safe region [Target TRL 6]
- Enhanced performance and space qualified detectors – visible range [Target TRL 7-8]
- Ultra Deep Submicron technology for next generation space integrated circuits: ASICS, FPGA and microprocessors [Target TRL 5]
- Discrete power devices (200V normally-off GaN) [Target TRL 7]
- Photonics components [Target TRL 7]
Context information and high-level requirements, including description of scope, initial and target TRLs, and, where applicable, references and information of related activities, are provided in the technical guidance document published on the Funding & Tenders Portal outlining all relevant information to the selected actions.
A proposal should address only one technology area, which must be clearly identified.
Technological spin in and/or bilateral collaborations should be enhanced between European non-space and space industries, including technology research institutes and academia.
To achieve the non-dependence objective, applicants should
- Describe in the proposal the technologies and/or technology processes to be used and demonstrate that they are free of any legal export restrictions or limitations, such as those established in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration regulation (EAR) such as EAR99 or equivalent instruments applicable in other non-EU jurisdictions;
- Set up and describe in the proposal a suitable technology development process aiming at avoiding export restrictions of non-EU states and assess vulnerabilities of the supply chain.
- In the proposal, define specific tasks as part of the work plan, with the objective of:
- analyse and describe in detail the supply chain, each entity and its role in the supply chain, and if relevant identify critical dependencies from outside EU;
- Develop the technical roadmap and a business plan for commercialization, space mission insertion, including time to market indication, of the developed product.
In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement.
Unless otherwise agreed with the granting authority, beneficiaries must ensure that none of the entities that participate as affiliated entities, associated partners or subcontractors are established in countries which are not eligible countries or target countries set out in the call conditions.
Specific Topic Conditions:
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 5-8 by the end of the project. However, the target TRL may be different from technology line to technology line – The reference TRL definition is the ISO 16290:2013 applicable to the space sector.
