Space Critical EEE Components for EU non-dependence – RISC-V Microprocessor on 7nm

Expected Outcome

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Reinforcing EU strategic autonomy by reducing non-EU dependencies on critical space EEE components and related technologies across their entire supply chain;
• Providing unrestricted access to critical space EEE components and related technologies relevant for EU space missions;
• Developing or regaining capacity to operate independently in space by developing resilient space EEE components and related technologies supply chains, relying on EU supply chains and/or trustable and reliable supply chains not affected by non-EU export restrictions;
• Enhancing competitiveness by developing products and capabilities reaching equivalent or superior performance level than those from outside the EU and compete at worldwide level;
• Opening new opportunities for manufacturers by reducing dependency on non-EU export restricted technologies.

Scope

Unrestricted access to state-of-art space EEE components and related technologies is a pre-requisite for the EU space industry responding to EU space missions. However, especially for some families of components, the available solutions in EU do not meet the current high-performance space requirements. Currently, alternative products sourced from outside EU, are either affected by non-EU export control, that limits its use, or present challenges in terms of trustable supply chains for the implementation of EU space missions with a security dimension.

Within the frame of this topic, it is expected to finance and implement development projects aiming at maturing critical space EEE components with the final goal of lowering the dependency from outside EU. This will be done by establishing a long-term sustainable supply chain for supporting EU strategic autonomy in the space sector. The selection of the supply chains shall reflect this objective. Therefore, the supply chain shall preferably be built fully based in EU and when this can only be achieved partially (i.e. because of lack of current EU capabilities for unrestricted advanced semiconductor processes or advanced materials that cannot be developed within the project), services procured from outside EU shall nevertheless ensure that the overall supply chain will remain trustable and not affected by non-EU export control. The latest scenario is subject to the approval of the granting authority.

Below, the space EEE component and related technologies relevant for this Call. It has been identified based on needs related to strategic institutional space programs, inputs from European stakeholders and the EU Observatory of Critical Technologies.

• RISC-V microprocessors on 7nm technology node [Target final TRL 5]

Additional, context information and technical requirements are provided in the Technical Requirements Guidance document published on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Space is a low volume market affected by a dynamic industrial landscape compared to the terrestrial market therefore, technological spin in and/or bilateral collaborations should be enhanced between European non-space and space industries. Furthermore, proposed activities should be complementary to relevant national or other activities at European level. Complementary activities should be clearly identified, described and the proposal should report how the complementarity is ensured.

To achieve the non-dependence objective, applicants are expected to include a dedicated proposal’s paragraph covering:

• The description of the technology and/or technology processes and high-level breakdown of the space EEE component supply chain to be used. Applicants should demonstrate that the supply chain and final product are free of any legal export restrictions or limitations, such as those established in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or equivalent instruments applicable in other non-EU jurisdictions. Applicants shall also report, in a dedicated subsection, if and which part of the supply chain is affected by non-EU export controls such as the Export Administration regulation (EAR) i.e. EAR99.
• The description of the suitable technology development process that has been identified and set up within the consortium for avoiding export restrictions of non-EU states and assess vulnerabilities of the supply chain.

Proposal covering space EEE components and related technology developments that are targeting a final TRL equal or higher than 5, shall include a list of proposed applicable standards (e.g. EN, ECSS, ESCC, MIL, JEDEC,…) that are considered relevant for implementing a formal space evaluation and/or qualification. Additionally, projects that aim at a formal space qualification shall deliver the full data pack planned to be submitted to the qualification authority. This deliverable shall me marked sensitive and it shall be shared with the granting authority (i.e. DG-DEFIS and HaDEA). Products that will successfully complete the space evaluation/qualification, either within the EU-COM activity or as a consecutive follow up, shall inform DG-DEFIS and engrave on the package the EU flag.

The proposal must include specific tasks as part of the work plan and related dedicated confidential deliverables to be provided within 6 months from the start of the project to the relevant Commission DG and Executive Agency (i.e. DG-DEFIS and HaDEA), with the objective of:

• Analysing and describing, in detail, the full supply chain, each entity and its role in the supply chain, level of criticality and, if relevant, identify dependencies from outside EU;
• Describing the industrial technical roadmap and a business plan for commercialization with accurate understanding of applications needs, space mission insertion, including time to market indication, of the developed product.
• Reporting the list of relevant non-EU export control with extra territorial applicability for the specific technology/product under development, independently from the supply chain established for the EU-COM project.
• Undertaking a comprehensive literature review of the relevant technology/product reporting the state-of-the-art and highlighting potential gaps between current EU solutions and competition from outside EU.

Unless otherwise agreed with the granting authority before the grant agreement, 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.

It is recalled to the applicants that all provisions reported by the Model Grant Agreements, related to topics with restricted eligibility conditions, are applied. For example, under this light, the consortiums shall ensure that for a period up to 4 years after the end of the action, supply and availability of the products and/or processes developed and/or qualified within the project (consortium as whole or individual beneficiaries) shall be given to any entity in EU, at fair and reasonable market prices, conditions and with no legal restrictions and limitations stemming for example from International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), or equivalent instruments applicable in non-EU jurisdictions. Additionally, beneficiaries that intend to transfer ownership or grant an exclusive licence must formally notify the granting authority (i.e. DG-DEFIS and HaDEA) before the intended transfer or licensing takes place and the granting authority may up to four years after the end of the action object to a transfer of ownership or the exclusive licensing of results.

In this topic, the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not relevant.

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Activities are expected to achieve TRL 5 by the end of the project. Activities may start at TRL 3. The reference TRL definition is the ISO 16290:2013 applicable to the space sector.