The European Commission has opened a new call for proposals aimed at strengthening Europe’s space and satellite communications industry
The call welcomes the development of advanced user terminals for the EU’s IRIS² and GOVSATCOM programs.
Announced by the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space on 28 May 2026 there will be up to €20 million in grant funding to support projects focused on improving the affordability, manufacturability and industrial readiness of satellite communication terminals across Europe.
This is another important step in the European Union’s ambition to build a more competitive, secure and technologically independent space ecosystem.
Supporting Europe’s secure connectivity goals
IRIS² is the EU’s secure connectivity program; it is designed to provide resilient and secure satellite communication services for governments, businesses and citizens across Europe. User terminals are a key part of that infrastructure, enabling access to satellite networks and ensuring reliable communication capabilities.
The Commission’s latest funding call is specifically focused on accelerating the industrialisation of Ka-band user terminals. Rather than supporting the development of a single end-to-end product, the program aims to strengthen the wider supply chain and manufacturing ecosystem behind future terminal technologies.
By investing in production readiness and industrial capability, the EU hopes to reduce costs, improve scalability and increase Europe’s strategic autonomy in critical space technologies.
Focus on manufacturing and supply chains
The call encourages projects that address one or more strategic areas linked to terminal development and production.
Key focus areas include improving the antenna subsystem’s industrial readiness, particularly in assembly, calibration, and testing processes. The Commission is also seeking proposals that introduce advanced manufacturing methods and equipment to increase production throughput while reducing unit costs.
Another major objective is strengthening Europe’s supply chains by reducing reliance on non-European suppliers for critical components. This is expected to improve resilience and help secure long-term technological independence in the space sector.
In addition, the program supports modem and baseband industrial readiness for 5G NR NTN-compliant solutions, including pathways toward large-scale production architectures.
Funding opportunities for European organisations
The call is open to legal entities established within EU Member States. While forming a consortium is not mandatory, applicants are encouraged to build partnerships that combine complementary expertise across the value chain.
Projects selected for funding can run for 18 to 36 months and must demonstrate a clear contribution to cost reduction, production scale-up, and the reinforcement of European industrial capabilities.
The Commission expects that up to three projects could receive funding under the programme.
Interested organisations must submit their applications electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The submission deadline is 26 August 2026 at 17:00 CET.
Applicants will need to meet specific eligibility, security and strategic autonomy requirements outlined in the official call documentation.
The initiative is expected to attract interest from satellite technology developers, manufacturers, telecommunications companies and research organisations looking to play a larger role in Europe’s evolving secure connectivity landscape.
