Role and Approach of the Partnership Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA)
In order to stay ahead in a dynamically changing global context, marked by growing competition and major technology shifts, the EU space sector requires continued, smart and coordinated investments strategies in cutting-edge technologies, innovation and skills.
The main purpose of this agenda is to provide coordinated guidance and recommendations for the EU research and innovation framework programme Horizon Europe (2021-2027), in particular for the Work Programmes 2025-2027, proposed by the SPACE partnership. The identification of R&I needs for the Space Programme components (EGNSS, Copernicus, SSA and GOVSATCOM) will emerge from their own governance.
The agenda has been drafted in close consultation with R&I actors including industry (large companies and SMEs), research centres, academia and institutional actors such as national space agencies. ESA has observed the consultation process and provided clarifications related to ESA programmes and ESA-led European processes.
Update plan
This SRIA will be regularly updated, subject to approval by the Partnership Board. This work will be one of the main tasks to be conducted by the Partnership, via a wide involvement of all the members of the association. R&I priorities will be reviewed and updated periodically in line with progress in the industry, RTOs and academia as well as the developments EU space policy. As the SRIA will be taken as the reference framework to identify the key space R&I priorities for the next Horizon Europe Work Programmes, the document will be updated before each prioritisation
Monitoring and evaluation framework
Overall vision: Space is a strategic sector for the European Union. This partnership aims at delivering key contributions to the objectives set by the Space Strategy for Europe. It will contribute to foster the global competitiveness and shortening the time-to-market of EU space systems, to reinforce European capacity to access space and to accelerate the pace of innovation. It will develop and enable the uptake of the next-generation space technologies. By 2030, the Partnership is expected to largely contribute to the development of competitive end-to-end systems for satellite communication and Earth observation and smart technologies for EU launcher systems. Thus, the Partnership activities strengthen key assets for the EU policies on climate, environment, transport, agriculture and secure society.
Areas and TRL levels to be covered by the SRIA
An inclusive Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda, combined with a multi-annual roadmap, can elevate EU-funded research by fostering larger projects, higher TRL levels, and faster R&I cycles, engaging all space stakeholders. This approach accelerates operational capacity in the medium term and drives innovative, breakthrough paradigms over the long term.
The partnership will oversee and assess the outcomes of R&D projects, using programmatic guidelines to balance high and low TRL activities. This includes supporting bottom-up R&I at lower TRL to unlock long-term opportunities, ensure seamless technology maturation, and encourage disruptive innovations.