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HORIZON EUROPE TOPIC · Cluster 4 · Digital, Industry and Space

Digital solutions for autonomy for space transportation systems, design and simulation tools - Digital enablers and building blocks (Space Partnership)

HORIZON-CL4-2027-SPACE-03-12 — the expected outcomes as checkable statements, what evaluators look for in this topic, and the conditions that shape the proposal.

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ForthcomingIA · lump sumDeadline 2 September 2027EUR 2 million to EUR 3 million per project

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TopicHORIZON-CL4-2027-SPACE-03-12
StatusForthcoming
CallHORIZON-CL4-2027-03 — SPACE
DestinationAchieving open strategic autonomy in global space-based infrastructures, services, applications and data (2026-27)
Type of actionInnovation Actions · lump sum
Opening9 March 2027
Deadline2 September 2027
BudgetEUR 2 million to EUR 3 million per project · 2 projects expected · EUR 5 million in total
TRL at the endTRL 7–8
Part B page limit45 pages (standard application form; check your call)
TemplateWork Programme 2026–2027 application form

Expected outcomes

Projects may contribute to some of the expected outcomes; say which ones and why. The topic says: “The topic encompasses actions within the scope of the co-programmed European Partnership on Globally Competitive Space Systems (‘Space Partnership’) in the areas of satellite communication (SatCom), Earth Observation (EO) and New Commercial Space Transportation Solutions and is part of cohesive activities in the domain of digital developments under the grand heading of “digitalisation for…”

  1. EO1 Improved space transportation systems and launcher sustainability, reduced costs and operational constraints as well as enhanced system monitoring and autonomy.
  2. EO2 Innovative technologies for New Space Transportation Solutions, including addressing software and digital tools.

Expected impacts named in the destination

The wider, long-term effects the destination seeks. Your outcomes feed them; they are not project deliverables.

  1. EI1 Accessing Space, i.e. the ability to transport satellites, cargo, and humans into space; build and launch the required vehicles, including re-usable systems; and operate the related facilities and services.
  2. EI2 Using Space on Earth, i.e. the ability to provide space-based secure communication, navigation and Earth observation services and applications, including through the EU Space flagships Galileo, Copernicus and IRIS 2.
  3. EI3 Monitoring Space, i.e. the ability to detect, track and anticipate the trajectory of spacecraft, Near-Earth objects, and space debris during their full lifetime; to share data with relevant stakeholders; and to provide solutions for safe international space traffic management. It also includes the tracking and anticipation of other impacts on the space environment, such as Space weather events.
  4. EI4 Acting in Space, i.e. the ability to inspect, rendezvous and dock, grasp, repair, refuel, reconfigure, build, assemble and disassemble, reuse/recycle, relocate, remove and transport operational, non-operational, and other objects in space, including platforms or larger structures.
  5. EI5 Exploring Space, i.e. the ability to conduct high profile space exploration activities, perform excellent science and exploit space data to increase our knowledge about the Universe and celestial bodies, with a view to their exploration for scientific and socio-economic benefits.
  6. EI6 Boosting Space, i.e. the ability to sustain the above strategic capabilities through fostering the competitiveness of the EU space sector; improving education and developing the required skills; accelerating the pace of innovation; supporting EU non-dependency on critical technologies; and strengthening international cooperation.
  7. EI7 Heading 1: Accessing Space.
  8. EI8 Heading 2: Acting in Space.
  9. EI9 Heading 3: Using Space on Earth related to telecommunications.
  10. EI10 Heading 4: Using Space on Earth related to Earth Observation.
  11. EI11 Heading 5: Using Space on Earth related to satellite navigation.
  12. EI12 Heading 6: Space sciences and exploration.

What evaluators will look for in this topic

Expected outcomes

  • Projects may contribute to some of the expected outcomes; say which ones and why.
  • For each outcome (EO1 to EO2), name who will use or adopt your results (a specific group, not “industry” or “society”), how they get them, and the indicator that shows the change, with baseline, target and date.
  • Use the topic's own words for each outcome, so the evaluator can tick it off.

What the scope asks for

Evaluators check the proposal against these sentences of the scope. Answer each one visibly, in the call's own words.

  • “To tackle the above-mentioned expected outcomes, R&I is expected to address the maturation of disruptive/game changing digital technologies required to strengthen competitiveness in this domain and sustainability by assessing the impact of these technologies (e.g. by allowing the monitoring of sustainable solutions).”
  • “More specifically, R&I in one or more of the following areas are expected to be addressed:.”
  • “Proposals are expected to promote cooperation between different actors (industry, SMEs, research institutions and academia) and consider opportunities to quickly turn technological innovation into commercial use in space.”
  • “It is expected that projects make use of existing EU technologies and/or building blocks, including at component level, contributing to EU non-dependence and strengthening competitiveness, and this should be clearly presented in the proposal.”
  • “Furthermore, proposed activities should be complementary to H2020 and Horizon Europe funded projects, national activities and activities funded by the European Space Agency (ESA).”
  • “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.”

Conditions that shape the proposal

  • Part B, sections 1–3: 45 pages (standard application form). Text beyond the limit is not read; tables and figures count.
  • Lump sum: the budget is fixed per work package and paid when each work package is completed. Every work package needs activities and deliverables an evaluator can verify, and the effort must match the money.
  • TRL: the topic expects TRL 7–8 by the end of the project. State where you start and the evidence for it.
  • Innovation action: evaluators expect a plausible path to commercialisation and named first users or customers.
  • Other Eligible Conditions: “In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, and security, it is important to avoid a situation of technological dependency on a non-EU source, in a global context that requires the EU to take action to build on its strengths, and to carefully assess and…”
  • Other Eligible Conditions: “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 non-eligible country or by a…”
  • Other Eligible Conditions: “[[ 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 retrains or restricts its ability to carry out the action and to deliver results, that imposes restrictions…”
  • Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds: “Eligible proposals submitted under this topic and exceeding all the evaluation thresholds will be awarded a STEP Seal [[ https://strategic-technologies.europa.eu/about/step-seal_en ]].”

Impact pathway and traps

  • The gender dimension is named in the topic. Show how sex and gender analysis enters the research content, not only team balance.
  • Keep outputs, outcomes and impacts apart: what you deliver, what changes when others use it, and the long-term effect.
  • For each destination impact you claim, show which of your outcomes feeds it. Destination impacts are long-term effects, not project deliverables.
  • Name the barriers outside the project (regulation, markets, user behaviour) that could block uptake, and what you will do if they do.
  • Section 2.3 (the summary canvas) is optional on this call; the old split into scientific, economic and societal impact is no longer required.
The scope, as published

To tackle the above-mentioned expected outcomes, R&I is expected to address the maturation of disruptive/game changing digital technologies required to strengthen competitiveness in this domain and sustainability by assessing the impact of these technologies (e.g. by allowing the monitoring of sustainable solutions). More specifically, R&I in one or more of the following areas are expected to be addressed: Autonomy, data fusion, navigation, mission planning, and more specifically advanced algorithms for process automation and autonomous flight termination systems; Eco-design guidelines for end-to-end aspects and software design tools, and more specifically digital models of the launch system through the use of Model-Based System Engineering, and modelling/simulation of space activity impact on atmosphere; Landing solutions for reusability, specifically navigation data fusion for autonomous landing. Proposals are expected to promote cooperation between different actors (industry, SMEs, research institutions and academia) and consider opportunities to quickly turn technological innovation into commercial use in space. It is expected that projects make use of existing EU technologies and/or building blocks, including at component level, contributing to EU non-dependence and strengthening competitiveness, and this should be clearly presented in the proposal. Furthermore, proposed activities should be complementary to H2020 and Horizon Europe funded projects, national activities and activities funded by the European Space Agency (ESA). This topic contributes to the implementation of the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Globally Competitive Space Systems’ (GCSS). 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, as published

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7-8 by the end of the project. The reference TRL definition is the ISO 16290:2013 applicable to the space sector. Identified in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) of the co-Programmed European Partnership on Globally Competitive Space Systems (https://www.space-aisbl.org/sria/)

Other topics in HORIZON-CL4-2027-03

Source and attribution

Topic text from the official topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, retrieved 19 October 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU (CC BY 4.0). Changes: the expected outcomes and impacts are split into numbered statements, long passages are shortened, and the evaluator checklist is GrantWise's own commentary. Your call and the Work Programme always win; check them before you submit. GrantWise is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the European Commission.