ISOS Pilot Mission Detailed Design – Logistics component

To tackle the above expected outcomes, the following R&I actions should be addressed, taking into account the provided technical annex¹⁶¹:

• R&I to complete ISOS Pilot mission detailed mission and system design¹⁶² (including relevant key technology maturation) for the logistics component, demonstrating the achievement of the required TRL for all relevant technologies;
• R&I on key enabling technologies relevant for design of a logistics component that can transport cargo (e.g. satAPPs) and propellant taken from an upper stage to the HOST component;
• R&I on solutions for docking and propellant management and transfer with the HOST. Building on existing European designs is encouraged;
• Contribution to the overall ISOS pilot mission detail design in close cooperation with other mission components, the ISOS Pilot Mission Coordination and Support Action and the ISOS Pilot Mission Advisory Group.

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.

Proposals should clearly present a concrete plan to ensure that required technologies reach the necessary TRL at the end of the project. Moreover, complementarities with previous and/or ongoing R&I for the proposed servicing component must be clearly described. More specifically, proposals should explore relevant and promising solutions developed in Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, European Innovations Council (EIC) or other EU-funded relevant activities, in particular, the topics: Future Space Ecosystem (HORIZON-CL4-2021-SPACE-01-12/ 2022-SPACE-01-11/ 2023-SPACE-01-12) and in relevant projects funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and/or national programmes. Finally, proposals are also expected to consider the use of existing European technologies and/or building blocks, including at component level, contributing to European non-dependence and strengthen competitiveness.

Proposals are expected to consider and contribute to a balanced provision of Member States’ and eligible Associated Countries’ expertise and capabilities to the overall ISOS pilot mission, to support a successful introduction of the strategic capacity ‘Act in Space’ for the EU and its Member States.

This topic contributes to the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP[[ OJ L, 2024/795, 29.2.2024 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/795/oj]]) and addresses Space technologies falling under the sectors of “digital technologies” and “deep tech innovation”[[ C(2024) 3148 final]]. 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 contribute to advancing digital capabilities in space and enhance the sustainability and agility of the EU's space assets.

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.

The project selected from this topic is expected to collaborate with those selected under topics HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-21, 22, 24 and ISOS Pilot Mission Coordination and Support Action, in order to ensure interoperability and the necessary and sufficient documentation and information sharing for the implementation of the Pilot Mission, to make economies of scale in sharing best practices, defining common processes for addressing the different challenges, ensuring efficient monitoring and review, organising dissemination and communication activities, etc. Such collaboration among all those projects will be formalised by a collaboration agreement.