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

Quantum Space Gravimetry topic

HORIZON-CL4-2027-SPACE-03-71 — the expected outcomes as checkable statements, what evaluators look for in this topic, and the conditions that shape the proposal.

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ForthcomingRIADeadline 2 September 2027EUR 14 million to EUR 15 million per project

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TopicHORIZON-CL4-2027-SPACE-03-71
StatusForthcoming
CallHORIZON-CL4-2027-03 — SPACE
DestinationAchieving open strategic autonomy in global space-based infrastructures, services, applications and data (2026-27)
Type of actionResearch and Innovation Actions
Opening9 March 2027
Deadline2 September 2027
BudgetEUR 14 million to EUR 15 million per project · 2 projects expected · EUR 29.2 million in total
TRL at the endTRL 4–6
Part B page limit40 pages (standard application form; check your call)
TemplateWork Programme 2026–2027 application form

Expected outcomes

The topic does not say whether all outcomes must be addressed; treat them all as relevant. The topic says: “Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:”

  1. EO1 Support the EU space policy by fostering the development of groundbreaking space technology and support the Quantum Europe Strategy.
  2. EO2 Enhance the technological maturation of the critical components necessary to perform quantum space gravimetry.
  3. EO3 Foster the technological leadership and non-dependence of the EU in the field of quantum gravimetry from space and promote the EU’s competitiveness in quantum technologies.

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

  • The topic does not say whether all outcomes must be addressed; treat them all as relevant.
  • For each outcome (EO1 to EO3), 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.

  • “The areas of R&I, which needs to be addressed to tackle the above-mentioned expected outcomes are:.”
  • “Proposals should aim at the maturation of all relevant technology to TRL 6 and deliver engineering and qualification models of the payload subsystems to demonstrate the technology in orbit.”
  • “Proposals should aim at the development of the relevant technology to TRL 4-5 and deliver breadboards or prototypes of a payload aiming at demonstrating the technology in orbit.”
  • “Proposals should contribute to one of the above R&I areas and this area should be clearly and unambiguously identified.”
  • “Intellectual Property (IP) rights and ownership must be clearly defined and the provisions in Article 16 of the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement shall apply (relevant to protection, exploitation, transfer and licensing, access rights to results and background).”
  • “The beneficiaries of the grant should also reflect on the availability of the IPs for potential next steps of the activity.”
  • “Where applicable, proposers are invited to explore synergies with or build-upon past actions related to quantum technology and/or space gravimetry either at national or EU level.”
  • “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: 40 pages (standard application form). Text beyond the limit is not read; tables and figures count.
  • TRL: the topic expects TRL 4–6 by the end of the project. State where you start and the evidence for it.
  • Other Eligible Conditions: “In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security, participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Norway and Iceland. Proposals including entities established in countries outside the scope specified in the…”
  • 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…”
  • 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 ]].”
  • Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds: “To ensure a balanced portfolio covering all the development areas described in the scope section, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but at least also to one proposal that is the highest ranked within each development area, provided that the applications attain all thresholds.”

Impact pathway and traps

  • The scope expects pilots or demonstration. Name the sites, the partners who run them and what is measured there.
  • The topic expects cooperation with other projects or initiatives. Reserve effort and budget for it in the work plan.
  • 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

The areas of R&I, which needs to be addressed to tackle the above-mentioned expected outcomes are: Area 1: R&I on the technology based on cold atom interferometry with Bose Einstein Condensates (BECs) for Quantum Space Gravimetry. Proposals should aim at the maturation of all relevant technology to TRL 6 and deliver engineering and qualification models of the payload subsystems to demonstrate the technology in orbit. Area 2: R&I on emerging technology for Quantum Space Gravimetry such as SQUIDs (Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices) or nuclear spin-based gravimeters or hybridized technology (list not exhaustive). Proposals should aim at the development of the relevant technology to TRL 4-5 and deliver breadboards or prototypes of a payload aiming at demonstrating the technology in orbit. Proposals should contribute to one of the above R&I areas and this area should be clearly and unambiguously identified. To ensure a balanced portfolio covering the two areas described above, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but at least also to one proposal that is the highest ranked within each area, provided that the applications attain all thresholds. Intellectual Property (IP) rights and ownership must be clearly defined and the provisions in Article 16 of the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement shall apply (relevant to protection, exploitation, transfer and licensing, access rights to results and background). The beneficiaries of the grant should also reflect on the availability of the IPs for potential next steps of the activity. Where applicable, proposers are invited to explore synergies with or build-upon past actions related to quantum technology and/or space gravimetry either at national or EU level. 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 4-6 by the end of the project. The reference TRL definition is the ISO 16290:2013 applicable to the space sector.

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.