New call for the development of payloads for Earth Observation satellites
The Government of Catalonia and the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC), within the framework of the Catalonia Space 2030 Strategy, are launching a new call to select up to two engineering project proposals for the development of payloads to be integrated into small Earth Observation satellites (SmallSats).
The deadline for submitting proposals is 19 December 2025, at 14:00.
The bidder must be a private company, although collaboration with other companies, research organisations or public entities is permitted, and must commit to achieving a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) ≥ 6 by the end of the proposed project.
This call aims at boosting the Catalan ecosystem of space technologies by promoting innovation and competitiveness in the development of payloads for small satellites, as well as facilitating their future commercialization.
The competition is part of the ESA Phi-Lab Spain programme, promoted by the European Space Agency (ESA) with the support of the Spanish Space Agency and the Government of Catalonia within the framework of its space strategy. The initiative is coordinated by the IEEC, as the leader of a consortium comprising 12 universities, research and innovation centres, and companies, with the aim of fostering new opportunities for research, innovation and business in the field of space technologies and their applications.
The total estimated value of the contract is €901,000 (excluding VAT), which includes a €9,000 prize for each of the winning proposals, and the possibility of subsequently developing the projects via a negotiated procedure without publication, with a maximum amount of €441,500 per project.
The selected projects must present innovative and feasible proposals for deployable space technology, with the aim of producing at least a functional model (Engineering Model) that can evolve towards a future in-orbit technological demonstration (In-Orbit Demonstration) and its subsequent market entry.
The competition is processed by an open procedure with a jury, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 183 to 187 of the LCSP. It is convened by means of an open awarding procedure, in the form of a design contest, pursuant to section 2(b) of Article 183 of the LCSP, for project contests with prizes and for subsequent awarding to the winners via a negotiated procedure, in accordance with letter (d) of Article 168 of the same law. The maximum implementation period for the projects arising from this will be 27 months from the signing of the contract.
This call reinforces the IEEC’s commitment to promoting research and innovation in space technologies as a driving force for knowledge, sustainability and economic development in the region.
For further information on the call and to access the terms and conditions, please refer to the linked documentation or visit the ESA Phi-Lab Spain programme website.