DEFRA Space Call
Funds Belgian companies doing R&D in defence space capabilities — Earth Observation satellites and Space Situation Awareness systems.
BELSPO manages the Defence-related Research Action (DEFRA) on behalf of Belgium's Ministry of Defence and Royal Higher Institute for Defence (RHID). This Space Call is a dedicated call under DEFRA for research in two space-related themes relevant to Belgian Defence: Earth Observation (EO) for defence and Space Situation Awareness (SSA). The total available budget is 16.0 million EUR split as 10.0M…
Defence space technologies in two themes: (1) Earth Observation — space-based ISR, next-generation EO payloads, electro-optical, SAR and infrared sensors, on-board data processing, LEO mini-satellites; (2) Space Situation Awareness — monitoring space activity, detecting and characterising space threats, AI-enhanced data analytics, satellite constellations for SSA.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see what you submit
Sign up free to see how they score you
Sign up free to see the timeline
Sign up free to see where teams trip up
Guides for this application
All guides →How to Write a Grant Proposal Reviewers Can Score
Learn how to write a grant proposal around reviewer criteria, evidence, work packages, budget logic, and commercialization for deeptech and R&D funding.
DocumentsGrant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
Submit & reportGrant Reporting Requirements: Post-Award Reports and Compliance
Learn what grant reporting requirements cover, how financial and performance reports work, what to track after an award, and how to avoid post-award compliance mistakes.
Write proposalGrant Concept Note Example: Pre-Proposal Structure for Startups
See a practical grant concept note example, with a worked deeptech pre-proposal, section map, invite-to-full logic, and reviewer checks.
More from BELSPO
All grants from this funder →P4Science Call
🇧🇪BELSPO · Belgium
Funds scientific excellence projects in Belgian federal institutions across strategic domains.
DEFRA 6th Call — Defence-Related Research
🇧🇪BELSPO · Belgium
Funds Belgian defence-related innovation in critical technology sectors to strengthen real-world implementation.
DEFRA Human Factors Open Call
🇧🇪BELSPO · Belgium
Funds Belgian deep-tech companies researching human performance and human-machine integration for defence applications.
DEFRA NGCAT — Next Generation Combat Aircraft Technologies
🇧🇪BELSPO · Belgium
Funds Belgian industrial companies developing next-generation combat aircraft and fighter-jet technologies under the NGWS/FCAS programme.
Similar grants
Browse the directory →Digital Autonomy for Space Transportation
🇪🇺European Commission · European Union
Funds two €2–3M projects that bring autonomous flight, digital design and simulation tools to competitive European space transportation.
Space Partnership: Connected Earth Observation and SatCom
🇪🇺European Commission · European Union
Funds €1.5–3M projects linking Earth observation and SatCom technologies for resilient, secure and commercially useful space services.
Collaborative Earth Observation and SatCom Demonstrators
🇪🇺European Commission · European Union
Funds four €5–10M projects that prepare end-to-end Earth Observation and satellite-communications demonstrations for commercial space use.
EIC Accelerator — Short Proposal
🇮🇱ISERD · Israel
Supports small and medium firms in early-stage deep technologies through public proposals and commercialization mentoring.
Eureka Network Projects — Permanent
🇪🇺EUREKA · Global / Multinational
Offers open access collaboration through Eureka Network Projects so small enterprises can join international innovation groups.
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships — ISERD)
🇪🇺ISERD · Israel
Supports internationally mobile postdoctoral researchers placed in Israeli institutions to build independent research careers through EU mobility fellowships.