Funding through ESA
The Netherlands Space Agency supports companies and organisations – through ESA – that want to create added value with space activities. This can include innovative technology, products, or applications. Here you can read about the available funding schemes and how you can apply for them.
How does funding through ESA work?
The Netherlands contributes to ESA optional programmes, such as launchers, Earth observation, and telecommunications. According to the geographical return principle, this contribution flows back to Dutch industry in the form of contracts. The activities we can develop in the Netherlands, and the amount of funding available, depend on the level of our contribution to ESA optional programmes.
Optional programmes are organised in different ways:
- Programmes where ESA proposes general topics or where industry takes the initiative.
- Programmes where ESA fully defines the scope and content.
Which schemes are available?
- GSTP – innovation and development of space technology
- ARTES – innovation and development of space technology specifically for satellite communications and stimulating the use of space infrastructure
- InCubed – innovation and development of systems and instruments for Earth observation
- Navisp – innovation and development of systems and technology for satellite navigation
- Prodex – development of scientific space instruments
AARTES, GSTP and NAVISP work with annual work plans. For these schemes, ESA publishes competitions through an Invitation to Tender (ITT). The ESA Mail Invitation to Tender System (EMITS) provides an overview of all open and planned ITTs. For all of the above programmes, it is also possible to define, describe, and develop your own activity through Open Calls. These open opportunities are also listed on EMITS.
How can I apply for funding?
To apply for ESA funding, approval from the Netherlands Space Agency is usually required. When this is the case, the ITT will ask for a letter of support, letter of authorisation, or authorisation of funding. Before issuing this document, we assess plans based on their economic, societal, and scientific value. We also check whether the plans align with the national space policy.
Requesting approval is a formal process based on an application form. The Netherlands Space Agency recommends discussing your plans with us before starting a formal application. You can find the application procedure and conditions here.
Stappenplan in het kort:
Overview in short:
- Register with ESA (this is a necessary first step).
- Request a letter of support from the Netherlands Space Agency.
- If you receive a positive assessment from NLSA, you can submit a proposal to ESA.
Requesting a letter of support
The procedure for obtaining permission to use the registration may differ per programme. The main difference exists between proposals in competitive tenders and proposals that are submitted proactively. NLSA aims for uniformity in terms of how a request is handled.
- For ARTES and NAVISP, each published ITT that is applied for, requires approval. NLSA has to be made aware of any such requests at least four weeks prior to the deadline.
- For the GSTP programme, approval for the deployment of Dutch resources is granted prior to publication of the ITT.
If Dutch parties are interested in participating in a certain activity, they must submit an application within four weeks of publication of the work plan. The application must include an application form and an associated business case. Upon positive assessment, NLSA will notify ESA that the Netherlands wishes to participate in the ITT process for this activity.
Types of proposals
All activities offered to ESA proactively, are subject to two specific benchmarks in the ESA tender procedure, an outline proposal and a final proposal. A limited number of programmes require additional specific information items. The timing when NSO’s consent has to be formally communicated to ESA differs from programme to programme. In view of uniform handling of all cases, a provisional approval decision is always based on an outline proposal. The decision will be communicated to the applicant.
- For GSTP, ESA will be formally informed of this decision.
- For ARTES, InCubed and NAVISP, an additional consistency check will be performed and ESA will be informed upon submission of the full proposal.
Decisionmaking
As available programme budgets are finite, NLSA enforces conditions to limit the duration of the claim or the size of the budget reservation. Upon approval of an application based on an outline proposal, the full proposal must be ready within eight weeks. The approval lapses automatically after this period and a “letter of support” can no longer be claimed. Upon ESA Tender Evaluation Board’s positive assessment, contract negotiations must be completed and the contract with ESA signed within 12 weeks.
Supplied information based on which a decision is made, must be as uniform as possible. In addition to the completed application form, a concept of the proposal must be submitted without a work package breakdown or financial justification. The “outline proposal” template supplied by ESA will suffice. If no ESA template is available, this template (t.b.d.) can be used instead.
Submission
The form and additional information can be submitted to info@spaceoffice.nl. A receipt confirmation will be sent within two business days. The responsible ESA representative will respond within five business days to confirm whether the submission is considered complete or if any additional information is required. NLSA aims to make a decision within four weeks.
For some programmes NLSA has drafted specific guidelines for granting their support. You can find the guidelines for BASS 2023-2025 here.