The Operational Grants are focused to the following objectives:

• address the different technological challenges contained in the SRC roadmap
• perform the necessary developments that, when put together, achieve the overall SRC objectives.

Operational Grants can be: Research and Innovation Grants (100%) or Innovation Grants (70%). They are funded in the framework of the EC program Horizon 2020.

The first OG have been funded in response to the call topic in the 2016 Work Programme COMPET-4-2016. List of SRC Operational Grants COMPET-4-2016:

(OG1) European Space Robot Control Operating System: ESROCOS

http://www.h2020-esrocos.eu/

(OG2) EUROPEAN ROBOTIC GOAL-ORIENTED AUTONOMOUS CONTROLLER: ERGO

http://www.h2020-ergo.eu/

(OG3) Infusing Data Fusion in Space Robotics: InFuse

(OG4) Integrated 3D Sensors suite: I3DS

http://i3ds-h2020.eu/

(OG5) Standard Interface for Robotic Manipulation of Payloads in Future Space Missions: SIROM

http://www.h2020-sirom.eu/

(OG6) Facilities for testing orbital and surface robotics building blocks: FACILITATORS

http://www.h2020-facilitators.eu/

Another OG have been funded in response to the call topic in the 2018 Work Programme COMPET-4-2018

List of SRC Operational Grants COMPET-4-2018:

• (OG7) European Robotic Orbital Support Services – EROSS
• (OG8) Prototype of an Ultra Light Structure Assembly Robot – PULSAR
• (OG9) Modular Spacecraft Assembly and Reconfiguration – MOSAR
• (OG10) Autonomous decision making – ADE
• (OG11) Planetary Robots Deployed for Assembly and Construction Tasks – PRO-ACT

The third call under Horizon 2020 will be published in October 2019. The call will last till March 2020.

The objective of this third call is to prepare the technologies for demonstrators planned to be implemented in the 2023-2027 timeframe. The successful proposals shall validate relevant applications for both orbital and planetary scenarios relying on technologies derived from previous SRC activities.

It is planned that the third call will contain the following sub-topics:

1. Smart Orbital System Mission Study:
   A study (up to and including Phase B1) of an in-orbit application and technology and application demonstration mission that will validate previous developments of the SRC for the purpose of simultaneously satisfying short-term (ie on-orbit inspection, life extension, de-orbiting) and mid-to-long-term (ie APM exchange, reconfiguration, on-orbit assembly/manufacturing) horizons. The successful proposals should articulate the means to connect these two different business cases in a single demonstrator. The proposed demonstrator should represent a risk-taking, disruptive approach to enable new commercial opportunities in space.
2. Advanced Robotics Planetary Exploration:
   The next step in exploration will target areas of planets that are hard to reach, such as gullies, cliffs, craters and lava tubes. This requires improved capability in the rover’s understanding of its environment (not simply 2D with obstacles, but fully 3D), and capabilities in motion planning and execution which have not previously been demonstrated. This sub-topic aims to integrate the state-of-the-art technology (artificial intelligence, sensing and modelling complex environments, diverse means of locomotion, and cooperative planning and decision making) needed for this application.

The successful proposal should aim to overcome these current constraints by identifying the gaps in technology and knowledge and providing innovative solutions.

To find out more please read the EC document: Horizon 2020 – Work Programme 2018-2020 – Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies – Space.

More information and the details concerning the calls under Horizon 2020 in the space robotics under:

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal and
https://www.h2020-peraspera.eu/