Preparing demonstration missions for collaborative Earth Observation and Satellite telecommunication for Space solutions

Expected Outcome

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 commercial space solutions”.

Under the area of Using Space on Earth related to SatCom and EO, below this topic focusses on the Mid to High TRL level developments of key technologies required to strengthen competitiveness in these domains. Digitalisation is a major enabler for enhancing the value of an End-to-End EO and SatCom system. For example, processing applied to multi-sensor data can significantly enhance the resolution of the final data set, and digital optimisation of the data flow directly improves the End-to-End timeliness of an EO system (from request to delivery). Lastly, the enhancement of End-to-End data resilience and integrity calls for digital technologies on-board and, on the ground.

Project results are expected to contribute to one or several of the following expected outcomes:

• Enable the European Space Industry to maintain a significant share of the global connectivity market by increasing the performance of space satellite networks, new type of control, space and ground segments being fully integrated into the terrestrial networks;
• New commercial services and applications enabled by an increased digitalisation of space solutions;

Advanced Earth observation payloads, technologies and processing means, for multiple spectrum and frequency bands capabilities (on ground and in space), as well as optimisation of data downlink for all types of observation missions. This will contribute to developing, deploying global, more flexible and reactive space-based services applications, to contribute to fostering the EU's space sector competitiveness, as stated in the expected impact of this destination.

Scope

The areas of R&I, which needs to be addressed to tackle the above-mentioned expected outcomes are:

• R&I on End-to-End SatCom Mission capabilities (e.g., satellite network interconnectivity, seamless integration into the terrestrial networks, taking into account and contributing to ongoing standardisation efforts, increased reactivity), strengthening efficient connectivity using various technologies (e.g. optical communication, Inter Satellite Links, reconfigurable payloads) and ensure compatibility and interoperability with 5G & 6G networks, and satellites as network nodes in a distributed system (e.g., ubiquitous use of orbital resources, distributed computing, embracing both ground and space), flexible and modular testbed for complex satcom typologies to assess performances, compatibility of the different elements and operations concepts, data fusion;
• R&I on on-board processing to optimize EO missions’ performance or timeliness (e.g., standardized software framework to host embedded edge-computing applications -AI, Machine Learning, in combination with onboard image processing for multiple spectrum and frequency bands capabilities-, data/signal image processing, enhanced downlink and uplink capabilities), EO ground segment interfaces and data flow standardisation and adoption (e.g., development of use cases demonstrating the associated digital building-blocks, at least in ground relevant environment), smart multi-source EO intelligence information fusion (e.g., innovative intelligence information extraction and fusion), EO-related equipment and instruments digitalisation (e.g., miniaturization of equipment, enhancement of the European optical digital detectors supply);
• R&I on synergetic technologies, building blocks and processes with applicability across both EO and SatCom systems and missions, such as maturation of technologies and products improving system security and threats identification, resources usage optimization, tools to support the measure of key environmentally driven criteria through increased resource sharing, and maturation of high-performance processing payload H/W and payload data flexible downlink to support space network capabilities together with software functions to demonstrate mission flexibility.

Developments should aim at on-ground relevant environment or in-orbit demonstration focusing on software and digital tools (e.g. algorithms, functions), supporting open-HW alternatives (e.g. processors, electronics) such as RISC-V or similar from design to pre-operation phases.

Proposals may contribute to one or more of the above R&I areas, however the main area addressed should be clearly and unambiguously identified. To ensure a balanced portfolio covering the three 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. For the purposes of the ranking the main area declared by the proposal will be considered.

Proposals are expected to promote cooperation between different actors (industry, SMEs and research institutions) and consider opportunities to quickly turn technological innovation into commercial use in space via e.g., on-ground relevant environment or in orbit demonstration.

Proposals under this topic should explore synergies and be complementary to already funded actions in the context of technology development at component level, while still enabling new entrants and new approaches. In particular the topics: Critical Space Technologies for European non-dependence (HE H2020 SPACE-10-TEC-2018-2020, COMPET-1-2014-2015-2016-2017, HORIZON-CL4-2021-SPACE-01-81/ 2023-SPACE-01-72/ 2024-SPACE-01-73), satellite communication technologies and high speed data chain (H2020 COMPET-2-2016, COMPET-3-2017, SPACE-15-TEC-2018, SPACE-29-TEC-2020, HORIZON-CL4-2021-SPACE-01-11), Earth Observation end-to-end technologies (HORIZON-CL4-2022-SPACE-01-13, HORIZON-CL4-2023-SPACE-01-11). It is expected that projects make use of existing European technologies and/or building blocks, including at component level, contributing to European non-dependence and strengthen 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 implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Globally Competitive Space Systems’ (GCSS). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on results to the European Partnership ‘Globally Competitive Space Systems’ (GCSS) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.

This topic contributes to the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) and addresses Space technologies falling under the sectors of “digital technologies” and “deep tech innovation”. This topic addresses objectives stated in the STEP Regulation, e.g., the development of critical technologies and safeguarding and strengthening their EU value chain. This topic will help reduce strategic dependencies from outside of the EU for components and equipment for the EU Space Programme, as well as for other European space applications.

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.

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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.