Established in 1975, ESA acts as Europe’s “gateway to space.” Its primary objective is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and to ensure that investments in space benefit citizens throughout Europe and the world.

Mission and Purpose

ESA’s mission encompasses:

• Coordinating and promoting space research and technology among European nations.

• Developing and implementing space policy and programs for scientific, peaceful, and operational use of space technology.

• Fostering cooperation with international organizations, both within and outside Europe, for exclusively peaceful purposes.

Core Activities

• Earth observation and environmental monitoring.

• Human and robotic exploration (including the International Space Station).

• Launching and operating scientific missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

• Development and use of satellite-based technologies for navigation, telecommunications, and safety.

• Space applications for business, navigation, and defense.

Member States

• ESA comprises 23 Member States: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
• Associate Members: Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Canada (cooperates under a special agreement), four other EU states with cooperation agreements: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Malta.

Cooperation With Other Nations and Bodies

• ESA maintains close collaboration with the European Union, but it is independent of the EU.

• Canada participates in many ESA projects as a special cooperating country.

• ESA often works with international partners like NASA and global space agencies.

About the Advanced Agricultural Monitoring and Management Solutions Call

The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched a call for proposals under the "Advanced Agricultural Monitoring and Management Solutions" initiative. This funding opportunity supports the development and implementation of innovative services that use space technology to enhance agricultural monitoring, resource management, and sustainability. Proposals are welcomed for Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects.

Objectives

The main goals of this call are to:

• Foster sustainable farming practices through advanced monitoring and management.

• Ensure regulatory compliance with European and national agricultural policies.

• Promote the digital transformation of the agriculture sector by integrating space-based technologies.

Key Topics and Challenge Areas

Funded projects should address one or more of the following focus areas:

• Crop Classification: Efficient identification of crop and grass types for improved management and regulatory compliance.

• Soil Property Mapping: Creation of precise soil property maps to optimize fertilization and sustain soil health.

• Greenhouse Gas Emission Mapping: Identification and monitoring of areas with high emissions to support carbon reduction.

• Peatland Delineation: Accurate mapping of carbon-rich soils to limit emissions.

• Afforestation Monitoring: Monitoring forestry projects, assessing biomass, carbon uptake, and tree species classification.

• Bare Soil and Plant Cover Ratio: Determining plant cover ratios for environmental compliance.

• Catch Crop Monitoring: Ensuring the health of catch crops and adherence to regulations.

• Grazing Activity Detection: Mapping livestock activities to inform land management.

• Buffer Zones Around Water Bodies: Protecting water quality through buffer management.

• Risk Assessment: Evaluating risks using data analytics, weather, and historical data.

Space Technologies & Approaches

Solutions should utilize one or more of these technologies:

• Satellite Earth Observation (SatEO): Data for crop/soil identification, vegetation change, emissions, moisture, flood mapping.

• Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS): Precise geolocation for fields, machinery, and autonomous vehicles.

• Satellite Communication: For real-time data exchange, IoT integration, and remote decision-making support.

• Digital Twins: Virtual models combining diverse data for real-time simulation and decision support.

• Drones & Autonomous Equipment: High-resolution field data, autonomous operations, supported by SatEO and GNSS.

Funding Details

Funding is zero-equity and subject to approval by Member States. The level of funding depends on SME status and origin country. Projects are co-funded; the remaining costs must be covered by the project team.

Eligibility & Application Process

• Open to companies in ESA Member States (list includes: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Lithuania, Slovakia).

• Applicants in Greece, Spain, or Canada are eligible only if projects involve 5G or safety/security elements.

• Non-eligible for teams from outside the Member States.

• All applicants must obtain authorisation from their national delegation.

Application Steps

1. Activity Pitch Questionnaire (APQ): Submit a standard pitch through the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP).

2. Outline Proposal: If accepted, develop an outline for a Feasibility Study or Demonstration Project, submitted within 2 months of APQ acceptance.

3. Full Proposal: Register on esa-star, obtain a national delegation authorisation letter, and submit via esa-star Tendering within 4 months of Outline Proposal submission.

4. Projects are subject to technical, business, and financial evaluation; negotiation may be required before contracting.

What ESA Offers

• Zero-equity funding (50–80%).

• Technical and commercial guidance.

• Access to ESA’s network and brand credibility.

• Support for business and technology development.

Deadlines

• Proposal Submission Deadline: August 20, 2025, 12:00 CEST.

Additional Information

• The call welcomes proposals that use real use-cases—see the downloadable list on the ESA portal.

• Proposals should demonstrate clear market need, commercial viability, sound technical approach, and a competent team.

This ESA call is aimed at accelerating the digital and green transformation of European agriculture using advanced space-based technology. It is open to a wide range of commercial, research, and public entities committed to innovation and sustainability.