GCSS Partnership

The Globally Competitive Space Systems partnership

The Globally Competitive Space Systems partnership has been launched in 2024, targeting the calls 2025, 2026 and 2027 of the Horizon Europe work programme.

In light of the challenging calendar and budgetary environments, the partners propose to focus the efforts of the first version of the partnership (as implemented in Horizon Europe) on activities pursuing the following objectives:

Address up to date challenges for commercial space solutions
Achieve synergetic developments across the areas covered by the partnership scope
Promote high yield, low risk, short timeline developments and deployments
Target rapid deployment towards high TRL and demonstration activities
Promote the involvement of all partners, large and small, institutes and corporate
entities, demonstrated our capacity to work together at European scale
Enable a scalable building blocks approach, towards a ready-to-bid status (possibly through demonstration missions) for commercial markets in the medium term.

With these objectives in mind, the partners propose to focus the first three years of the partnership on cohesive activities in the domain of digital developments under the grand heading of Digitalisation for Commercial Space solutions.

The Digitalisation goals will be articulated around the following main domains:

Collaborative and synergetic Earth Observation and Satcom missions for Space solutions
- Satellites as Smart Network Nodes: this domain will support the realization of key competitiveness development goals identified in the Partnership scope, covering the commercial communications including the seamless integration with terrestrial networks. The domain (further described herewith) will enable to roll out and demonstrate key space and ground technology building blocks in state-of-the-art areas such as cloud in space and edge computing, network protocols (5G&6G), distributed systems, automatic/intelligent data processing, inter-satellite links, innovative resources management software and orchestration of multi orbit space assets.
- Digitalisation to maximize Observation imagery performance and timeliness: this domain will address end-to-end commercial observation In particular, it will enable the maturation of the most time-efficient high power end-to-end processing chains, together with significant imagery performance enhancements.
- These two subdomains are fitting the corresponding sections of the Space’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda. However, as far as possible, the space partnership endeavours to address them jointly to reinforce their synergies and to foster market-demanded innovations edging from such a combined approach
Digital solutions for launcher autonomy for space transportation systems, design and simulation tools: focusing on a narrow scope of activities supporting competitiveness innovations for space transportation services, and aiming at enabling technologies able to support a wider range of new systems and services. The domain (further described herewith) would support four key development areas, eco-design software tools enhancing reconfigurability in orbit, on-board system autonomy, digital avionics and proof of concept and designs for new transportation systems and means (orbital fuel depots, etc.)

The focus on digitalisation answers most of the requirements for the current Partnership while allowing the participation of a wide range of actors and fits with the budget envelope considered. Most of the demonstrators envisaged could be realised on ground or via a testbeds approach taking benefit of available in space infrastructures.

Governing bodies

SPACE AISBL and the Partnership operate under governance models designed to ensure transparency, inclusivity, and effective collaboration. These frameworks enable coordinated efforts between industry, academia, SMEs, and policymakers to achieve shared goals for innovation and competitiveness in the European space sector.

SPACE AISBL

Space Partnership Association for the Competitiveness of Europe

General Assembly

The General Assembly is composed of each Member, represented by a delegate (whether Founding, Full or Associate). The General Assembly is chaired by the President of The Association. In the absence of the President, the General assembly shall designate a meeting chair among its members.

Steering Board

The Steering Board is composed of a total of 20 delegates nominated by the Founding Members, and ratified by the General Assembly (Founding Members are encouraged to promote gender diversity in Steering Board membership). The Steering Board is composed as follows:

Industry represented by Eurospace: 10 seats;
Research and technology Organisations represented by EASTRO: 2 seats;
Research and technology Organisations represented by ESRE: 3 seats;
SMEs represented by SME4Space: 4 seats
Academia represented by EASN: 1 seat.

Each Steering Board member is given one vote. Each Steering Board member can hold an unlimited number of proxies from other Steering Board members.

Steering Board members shall:

Be nominated for three years, renewable without limits;
Be an active employee or affiliate of any member of The Association (Founding, Full or Associate);
In the event that this criterion is not met anymore, the Board member shall resign from its Board Member position with immediate action;
Be knowledgeable of space systems RDT & innovation;
Be knowledgeable of European space RDT & innovation policies and programmes;
Commit to act in good faith and in line with The Association’s objectives and policies;
Commit to act in good faith and in line with its representation mandate from its nominating body (the relevant founding member).

The Steering board composition shall be ratified by the annual General Assembly. In case it is not, Founding Members are invited to propose other nominees.

Each member of the Steering Board may resign from his/her mandate through a written notification sent to the President and to the other Steering Board members. Resignation will be effective only after a replacement has been nominated by the relevant Founding Member.

A member of the Steering Board may be dismissed at any time by simple decision of its nominating Founding Member. Dismissal will be effective only after a replacement has been nominated by the relevant Founding Member.

In case of vacancy, the relevant Steering member shall swiftly nominate a replacement, whose nomination will be then ratified at the earliest General Assembly Meeting.

President (and Executive Director)

The President appointment is proposed by the Steering Board to the General Assembly.

The President shall:

Be appointed for three years, renewable without limits;
Be an active employee or affiliate of a founding member – in the event that this criterion is not met anymore, the President shall resign from its position with immediate action;
Be knowledgeable of space systems RDT & innovation;
Be knowledgeable of European space RDT & innovation policies and programmes;
Demonstrate management and administration qualities;
Commit to act in good faith and in line with the Association’s objectives and policies; Exercise neutrality.

Partnership Governing Board

Composed of European Union and SPACE AISBL representatives

The Partnership Board is the main body for steering the European Partnership, with the ultimate purpose of implementing the MoU, and achieving the partnership objectives set out in the MoU and its Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). It is responsible for taking decisions for the European Partnership, including the approval of results and proposals from the high-level meetings on strategic issues foreseen in the Memorandum of Understanding.

The Partnership Board ensures that the annual planning of activities from both sides steers towards the high-level objectives, including through regular monitoring and assessment.

The Association which signed the Memorandum of Understanding, and which represents the Partners other than the Union, nominates its Partnership Board Members, selected among its/their constituent entities. The Association tries to ensure an adequate representation of all stakeholders, an adequate geographical balance as well as an adequate gender balance among its nominated Partnership Board Members.

The Members from the Partners other than the Union will consist of up to 5 representatives with adequate representation from each TYPE of partner. In case of absence of a Board Member, they may appoint a substitute, provided that the substitute is from the same TYPE of partner.

The European Commission lead service(s) in charge of the European Partnership nominates the European Commission’s Partnership Board Members. These Members will consist of up to 2 representatives. In case of absence of a Board Member, the European Commission lead service(s) can nominate a substitute member.

State Representative Group

Composed of Horizon Europe Member States representatives

The States Representatives Group consists of representatives of each Member State and of each country associated with the European Commission’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Horizon Europe). The SRG representatives may provide SRG advisory recommendations on the Partnership Board agenda as seen relevant.