🏛 EU_PORTAL · 📍 EU
€2,000,000
9/3/2027
2/9/2027
Horizon Europe
Quantum Space Gravimetry topic
Expected Outcome:
Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:
This action aims at supporting the maturation, development and/or implementation of quantum gravimetry technology for space.
Monitoring the Earth gravity field provides key information and data on Earth mass movements. This type of data is of utmost importance for Earth science and used in many areas, for example to monitor ice sheet changes, floods or droughts, volcanic activities and earthquakes. The community of users for such data spans from climate scientists to geophysicists and relies on quality and precise data. Monitoring the Earth gravity field from space provides a global scale to the user community and fosters the development of models and understanding of the Earth as an integrated and global system.
Space gravimetry data provided up to now (or planned in the near future) is using an underlying technology based on electrostatic accelerometers, which has reached its limits in terms of performance. Accelerometers based on quantum technology may offer enhanced performances in terms of sensitivity, accuracy, stability and operational time compared to these classical accelerometers.
The European Commission is committed to the development of quantum technologies and for this purpose, adopted the Quantum Europe Strategy in July 2025 (Quantum Europe Strategy | Shaping Europe’s digital future). This strategy identifies Space as a critical element and highlights the benefits of quantum sensing, including for fundamental science. The strategy provides the case for a network of mobile and stationary quantum sensors and foresees the deployment of ground, airborne and space-based gravimeters for Earth observation purposes. The strategy highlights the need for and importance of developing a space compatible technology to fulfil this ambition.
Quantum technologies are also identified as a critical R&I area in the EU Economic Security Strategy (eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52023JC0020). Mastering this technology will contribute to the EU technological sovereignty and foster the development of an EU non-dependent quantum & space ecosystem, able to address the EU’s ambitions for its space policy.
To meet these strategic objectives and envisage a full-blown quantum space gravimetry capacity, the development and in-orbit testing of a quantum accelerometer is a pre-requisite. The European Commission has been supporting the development of quantum accelerometer technology for ground and space gravimetry with dedicated calls in Horizon Europe.
This call will support the implementation, development and maturation of quantum accelerometer technologies for space gravimetry. Proposals should present a technological solution provided it is quantum-based, aims at enhancing the performance of gravimetry mission(s) currently planned (based on electrostatic accelerometers), and the resulting projects are expected to be consistent with a common overarching roadmap and recommendations to be established in close coordination with EU Member States, Norway and Iceland through a dedicated Quantum Space Gravimetry Expert Group (QSGEG). The action should foster the development of the underlying technology and result in a breadboard / payload prototype subsystems / engineering models demonstrating the feasibility and expected performance of the technological solution and its potential further development for integration on a satellite platform, the design of which should also be presented. Proposals should also provide a clear implementation strategy allowing the chosen solution to be tested in-orbit in a demonstrator in the future, the associated development lifecycle of which is free of choice (ECSS or other).
Scope:
The areas of R&I, which needs to be addressed to tackle the above-mentioned expected outcomes are:
Proposals should contribute to one of the above R&I areas and this area should be clearly and unambiguously identified. To ensure a balanced portfolio covering the two 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. Intellectual Property (IP) rights and ownership must be clearly defined and the provisions in Article 16 of the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement shall apply (relevant to protection, exploitation, transfer and licensing, access rights to results and background). The beneficiaries of the grant should also reflect on the availability of the IPs for potential next steps of the activity.
Where applicable, proposers are invited to explore synergies with or build-upon past actions related to quantum technology and/or space gravimetry either at national or EU level.
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 4-6 by the end of the project. The reference TRL definition is the ISO 16290:2013 applicable to the space sector.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).
In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security, participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Norway and Iceland. Proposals including entities established in countries outside the scope specified in the call/topic/action will be ineligible.
For the duly justified and exceptional reasons listed in the paragraph above, in order to guarantee the protection of the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity, may not participate in the action unless it can be demonstrated, by means of guarantees positively assessed by their eligible country of establishment, that their participation to the action would not negatively impact the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security. Entities assessed as high-risk suppliers of mobile network communication equipment within the meaning of ‘restrictions for the protection of European communication networks’ (or entities fully or partially owned or controlled by a high-risk supplier) cannot submit guarantees.[[The guarantees shall in particular substantiate that, for the purpose of the action, measures are in place to ensure that: a) control over the applicant legal entity is not exercised in a manner that retrains or restricts its ability to carry out the action and to deliver results, that imposes restrictions concerning its infrastructure, facilities, assets, resources, intellectual property or know-how needed for the purpose of the action, or that undermines its capabilities and standards necessary to carry out the action; b) access by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity to sensitive information relating to the action is prevented; and the employees or other persons involved in the action have a national security clearance issued by an eligible country, where appropriate; c) ownership of the intellectual property arising from, and the results of, the action remain within the recipient during and after completion of the action, are not subject to control or restrictions by non-eligible countries or non-eligible country entity, and are not exported outside the eligible countries, nor is access to them from outside the eligible countries granted, without the approval of the eligible country in which the legal entity is established.
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described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Eligible proposals submitted under this topic and exceeding all the evaluation thresholds will be awarded a STEP Seal [[https://strategic-technologies.europa.eu/about/step-seal_en]].
To ensure a balanced portfolio covering all the development areas described in the scope section, 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 development area, provided that the applications attain all thresholds.
are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Declaration of ownership and control
A compulsory questionnaire on the declaration of ownership and control is to be filled by all project participants as part of the application. All declarations must be assembled by the coordinator and uploaded in a single file in the portal submission system. For additional information on the assessment of ownership and control process and on the guarantees please consult the draft guidance for participation in restricted calls.
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant.
Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe.
Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management.
Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular.
National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’).
Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding.
IT Helpdesk – contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc.
European IPR Helpdesk assists you on intellectual property issues.
CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal.
The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers.
Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.