Dynamics, Control and Cognition (DCC) Program

Space critical Equipment for EU non-dependence – Space Refuelling Interface is sponsored by European Commission — Horizon Europe. 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 Equipment and related technologies across their entire supply chain; Providing unrestricted access to critical space Equipment and related technologies relevant for EU space missions and pilots (e.g. In-Orbit Space Operations); Developing or regaining capacity to operate independently in space by developing resilient space Equipment 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. Scope: Unrestricted access to state-of-art space equipment and related technologies is a pre-requisite for the EU space industry responding to EU space missions. However, especially for some families of equipment, 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 a development project aiming at maturing critical equipment 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, 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 (i.e. DG-DEFIS and HaDEA). The space equipment and related technologies relevant for this topic represent a direct implementation of the EU Observatory of Critical Technologies (OCT) Technology Roadmap, named Robotics Manipulators for Space Applications: Space Refuelling Interface . Further details will be provided at the latest at the opening of the Call, in a 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 EU 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 used for developing the equipment and high-level breakdown of the 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 vulnerab Programme areas: Horizon Europe (HORIZON), Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, Digital, Industry and Space, Space, including Earth Observation

DoW SBIR Specific Topic 26.BZ Release 5 is sponsored by Department of the Air Force. This is a specific topic solicitation under the Department of the Air Force's SBIR program, focusing on particular problem sets defined by an Air Force end-user or customer. Software-related topics such as "Dynamic Open Systems Enclave" and "Automated Lethality" are included. Small businesses can propose innovative solutions to meet these predefined needs.

AFWERX SBIR/STTR (Specific Topic Solicitations) is sponsored by AFWERX, Air Force Research Laboratory. AFWERX, a division of the Air Force Research Laboratory, opens new Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) solicitations. These solicitations fund feasibility studies, prototyping, and technology maturation aligned to Department of the Air Force (DAF) mission needs. While the traditional 'Open Topic' is being replaced by 'Focused Open Topics,' these are mission-driven solicitations addressing specific capability gaps where various solutions can compete. The program emphasizes dual-use technologies with both military and commercial applications. Specific topics include areas like High Temp Semiconductor Transistors for Hot DoW Environments and Electronic Warfare, F-16 Agnostic Rapid Weapons Integration, F-35 Agnostic Rapid Weapons Integration, Dynamic Open Systems Enclave, Automated Lethality, Integrating Neural Architectures for Brain-Inspired AI with Low SWAP, Ultra-Sensitive Quantum Telemetry Receiver, and Cost-Effective Composite Joints with Tailorable Performance and Geometry.