Background

The Space Helix was amongst the second tranche of Helix communities launched by Crowdhelix in mid-2014, and is currently managed by the Crowdhelix Community Management team. We are, however, seeking expressions of interest from high-profile researchers in the field to take a leadership role for this Helix from 2021 onwards.

Scope

Closely related to the activities of the Climate and Digital Helixes, the Space Helix provides an Open Innovation community for experts seeking international collaborators to carry out space-related research and innovation in the following areas:

• In-space propulsion
• In-orbit validation & demonstration
• Satellite communication
• Space robotics
• Near Earth Objects
• Space weather & heliophysics
• Astrophysics

Policy

Horizon Europe Cluster 4 (“Digital, Industry & Space”) sets out a number of interrelated objectives for space research & innovation in the EU, and estimates that the value generated from related activities is between €46 to €54, billion per annum. In addition, the capacity to access and use space is considered a strategic asset globally, and one that opens up many business opportunities for early-stage and high-tech companies, especially in combination with digital technologies and diverse sources of data.

EU-funded space research is also expected to contribute to critical technologies, space science and missions, and to outreach and education activities. Synergies with non-space sectors should also be promoted, as well as ensuring downstream exploitation. Crowdhelix intends to align its own activities in support of this endeavour by helping to provide the widest possible access to collaborators across the many sectors and industries involved in the space innovation ecosystem.