Europe has been active in the space sector for decades. Activities range from rocket launchers and space exploration to space-based applications providing new services to citizens. EU Space research has been fundamental to ensuring that Europe remains competitive in space activities and that EU space policy continues to provide cutting-edge solutions to everyday societal problems. Predecessors of current EU Space research implemented by HaDEA were Horizon 2020 LEIT Space and FP7 Theme 9 Space.
- 2002FP6 started EU funded Space research on GNSS
FP6 (2002-2006) and in continuation FP7 (2007-2013) research activities on Global Satellite Navigation System (GNSS) paved the ground for today’s GALILEO services (operational since 2016)
- 2007FP7 emphasised EU funded Space research on GMES
Preliminary FP6 (2002-2006) and mainly FP7 (2007-2013) research activities on Global Monitoring of Environment and Security (GMES) developed and demonstrated the maturity of today’s COPERNICUS services (operational since 2014)
- 2014H2020 concentrated EU funded Space research on EUSST
H2020 LEIT Space (2014-2020) research activities on EU Space Surveillance and Tracking prepared and supported today’s EUSST services (operational since 2016) - today a core part of the operational Space Situational Awareness (SSA) programme.
- 2021Horizon Europe starts
FP7 Theme 9 Space (2007-2013)
The programme reflected the new Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) which strengthened the EU’s competence in the area of Space and confirmed its strategic importance.
Its objective was to support a European Space Policy focusing on applications such as GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) – later re-named COPERNICUS - with benefits for citizens, but also other Space foundation areas for the competitiveness of the European Space industry and scientific community.
The funded projects were to contribute to the overall objectives of the European Space Policy, complementing efforts of Member States and of other key players, including ESA.
261 grant agreements were co-financed and implemented by REA receiving € 662 million EU funding. Other entities implemented further programme parts.
Horizon 2020 LEIT Space (2014-2020)
The use of space was considered a strategic asset for Europe and an enormous opportunity for the advance of society and economy. Space technologies, infrastructure, services and data were to provide the EU with the tools needed to address societal challenges and global concerns (climate change, migration, mobility, energy, security, disaster relief).
Space also got a growing importance for the European economy (“key industrial technology”), providing data and connectivity for the digital economy, boosting innovation, creating new sources of jobs and growth, and helping to increase the resilience of the economy.
Big programme lines were to support the market uptake and evolution of Copernicus and EGNSS, to underpin strategic space technologies and their maturation (often in coordination with ESA and EDA), space science, space business and entrepreneurship, access to space and to support several aspects of security, e.g. SST.
268 grant agreements were co-financed by REA (continued under HaDEA) worth € 783 million EU funding. Other entities implemented further programme parts.