EU Space Research aims to foster a cost-effective, competitive, and innovative space industry and research community. Under Horizon Europe Cluster 4 – Space (Destination 5), HaDEA is funding projects that prepare future evolutions of the EU Space Programme components, foster the EU space sector’s competitiveness, reinforce its independent capacity to access space, and secure its autonomy of supply for critical technologies.

To evaluate project proposals submitted under the upcoming Horizon Europe EU Space Research call 2025 (HORIZON-CL4-2025-02), HaDEA is looking for experts with knowledge and professional experience in one or more of the following (or related) areas:   

• European Spaceports: Spaceports; Launch Systems; Launch Operations; Launch Standards and Regulatory Practices; Spaceport Interoperability and Safety Equipment.
• Space Transportation Systems: Disruptive Technologies for Digitalisation; Eco-design Software Tools to enhance In-orbit Reconfigurability; Smart Avionics; Health Monitoring Systems and Smart Sensors; On-board High-data Rate Processing; Thermo-mechanical Monitoring and Damage Detection; Ground and Flight Software for Data Management.
• In-Space Operations and Services:  In-space Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM); Satellite Life Extension; In-space Logistics; In-space Refuelling; Rendezvous, Proximity Operations and Docking (RPOD); Functional Satellite Modules; Spacecraft Service Interfaces; Space Robotics.
• Satellite Communication: Digitalisation; End-to-End SatCom Mission Capabilities; Satellite Network Interconnectivity; Optical Communication; Inter-Satellite Links; Reconfigurable Payloads; 5G/6G Interoperability; Distributed Computing; Flexible and Modular Testbeds; Data Fusion; System Security; Resource Usage Optimisation; Processing Payload Hardware; Data Downlink.
• Earth Observation: Digitalisation; On-board Processing Software and AI; Multi-source Data Fusion; Equipment and Instruments Digitalisation; Ground Segment Interfaces; Active and Adaptive Optics; High-power Electronics; Miniaturised Instruments Design; System Security; Resource Usage Optimisation; Processing Payload Hardware; Data Downlink; Remote Sensing of Maritime Litter and Ship Source Pollution.
• Copernicus Services: Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S); Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS); Copernicus Anthropogenic CO₂ Emissions Monitoring & Verification Support (CO2MVS); Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS); AI/ML Digital Transition of Copernicus Services.
• Space Critical EEE Components and Equipment: RISC-V Microprocessors on 7nm; Chip Scale Atomic Clocks; Solar Cells; Connectors; Advanced Packages; MRAM Memories.
• Quantum Space Gravimetry: Exploitation of Quantum Space Gravimetry (QSG) Mission Data; Quantum Sensing Technology; International Scientific Cooperation.

Interested experts with a very good command of written and spoken English are invited to register their profile in the European Commission's expert database (see Call for expression of interest for experts 2021-2027). 

In case you are already registered in the database, please make sure to update your profile and include relevant keywords and/or topic areas.  

The final selection of experts will be made on the basis of selection criteria such as professional expertise and experience, as well as the absence of conflict of interest. In addition, we strive for a balanced composition in terms of geographical diversity, private-public sector representation, and gender. For reasons of gender balance, we particularly encourage new applications from women.

Contracted experts act in their individual capacity to assist HaDEA with the evaluation of project proposals and/or the monitoring of approved projects. Please consult the Standard briefing on Horizon Europe proposal evaluation for more details on the overall evaluation process and the role of individual experts.

In case of questions, please contact HADEA-SPACE-CALLS@ec.europa.eu with your expert registration number and your specific field(s) of expertise.