PPPA-2026-Game-Changing Innovation for European Launch Solutions

Expected Outcome:The aim is to spur interest, incite new collaborations, incentivize change, attract new dynamic innovators to the area, mobilise additional private investment for innovation, generate solutions and encourage an EU innovative access to space ecosystem, while developing or opening markets in new areas.Through the award of Grants, it is expected to deliver new solutions to the challenge of resilient and competitive EU access to space.Objective:The action intends to support EU entities to develop game-changing innovations that have the potential to revolutionise the future of access to space and improve the competitiveness of the European space industry by focusing on ambitious innovations which are not yet available and go beyond the state of the art for access to space in the EU.A game-changing innovation is typically defined as a radical breakthrough that transforms an industry or market. It introduces a new way of thinking or working that displaces existing practices and technologies. This type of innovation creates new markets, disrupts existing ones thereby unlocking new opportunities for growth, profitability, and competitiveness, giving innovators a significant advantage over their competitors.With this action, the EU would like to bring about novel ways to improve the competitiveness of the overall European space industry, in particular for the preparation of the next generation of innovative solutions for cheaper, more sustainable, agile and resilient access to space.Scope:The call will fund activities to support the development (from mid maturity) of some game-changing innovations for European launch solutions from a scope that was identified considering the outcome of the previous prize action (PPPA-2025-LAUNCHERS-INNOVATIONS).These should address launcher propulsion systems, related subsystems and composing materials from one of the following areas, which should be clearly identified in the proposal text: Staged combustion engine,Hybrid pr