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Cutting Edge Leap to Excellence in Space and Optics TEchnologies

Project description

Building a hub of excellence in space, astrophysics

The Canary Islands are a prime location for astronomical research due to their unique skies, but they face challenges in sustaining and expanding their infrastructure. Despite growing investments in the region, there still lacks a cohesive, self-sustaining ecosystem for innovation and technological development. Specialised talent and advanced facilities are necessary. With this in mind, the EU-funded CELESTE project is set to transform the Canary Islands into a hub of excellence. Through strategic collaborations with the European Space Agency and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, the project will advance areas such as quantum communication and optical system development, fostering innovation and international leadership.

Objective

CELESTE represents a visionary initiative by the Instituto de Astrofsica de Canarias (IAC) for positioning the Canary Islands as a hub of excellence for pioneering research and technology development centered on two interlinked domainsAdvanced Optical Systems and New Space. CELESTE will elevate IACTEC (the IACs division dedicated to industry collaboration) into a self-sustaining Center of Excellence (CoE). This will be achieved in close collaboration with world-leading institutions, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), who will bring key knowhow in ground-breaking knowledge areas such as advanced astronomical instrument design, quantum communication technologies for secure space-to-Earth data transmission, and the development of ultra-high precision optical elements for astronomical observations. Also, strategic managerial knowhow.

A key driver of CELESTE is the Smart Specialization Strategy for the Canary Islands (2021-2027), which strongly supports the international leadership in Astrophysics and Space Sciences. A recent study by the region revealed the positive impact of the astrophysical activity to the Canary Islands' GDP, and for every million euros spent in the sector 45 jobs are generated. To scale this, CELESTE will allow to fully exploit ongoing investments that are already programmed for the next years.

CELESTE project will focus on creating the core structure for the long-term autonomy of IACTEC as self-sustained CoE (securing stable agreements with international partners and ensuring financial stability), foster productive training and exchange programs to attract and consolidate talent, setting up and operating a new battery of high-tech laboratories, and build a robust ecosystem of stakeholders.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-CSA - HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-01

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Coordinator

INSTITUTO DE ASTROFISICA DE CANARIAS
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 10 920 625,00
Address
CALLE VIA LACTEA
38205 SAN CRISTOBAL DE LA LAGUNA
Spain

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Region
Canarias Canarias Tenerife
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 10 920 625,00

Participants (1)

Partners (1)

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