The 5th Malta PECS Call for Proposals (MT5) has officially been launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Xjenza Malta, providing opportunities for companies and organisations based in Malta to submit proposals for a range of Space-related research and development activities. The Call will open on 2nd November 2026 and close on 14th December 2026 at 13:00 CET. Alongside the main MT5 Call, additional funding opportunities are also available to support PhD research proposals under the PECS programme.

Kif Tapplika 

L-applikanti kollha jridu jirreġistraw fuq il-Pjattaforma tal-ESA Star biex jissottomettu l-proposti tagħhom:

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Activity Types for the 5th Malta PECS Call for Proposals

Type A – Research and preparatory activity - such as feasibility studies/demonstrators, conceptual design work, competitive landscape survey, user requirements and breadboard demonstrators aimed at preparation for participation in ESA optional programmes or the initial steps of a product development for Space.

  • Prezz massimu tal-offerta: €175,000.
  • Rekwiżit TRL: Minimu fil-bidu TRL 1 u massimu fit-tmiem TRL 3.
  • Kuntrattur Ewlieni: Immexxi mill-industrija, universitajiet/organizzazzjonijiet ta’ riċerka jew entitajiet nazzjonali oħra skont il-kuntest.
  • Tul ta’ żmien mistenni tal-attività: 9–15-il xahar.

Type B – Research and development activities - to build competences and capabilities centred on products or generic technology development with potential for re-use on ESA or commercial missions.

Jinkludu t-tagħmir (komunikazzjoni fuq l-art jew tagħbija xjentifika spazjali) u l-ottimizzazzjoni tal-proċessi ta’ manifattura (żieda fil-Manufacturing Readiness Level).

It-tagħmir tal-art u s-sistemi ta’ operazzjoni tal-missjoni (EGSE, MSC, OGSE, stazzjonijiet tal-art jew tagħmir relatat mal-ittestjar) jistgħu jiġu kkunsidrati wkoll jekk jintwera b’mod ċar li dawn iwasslu għal prodott/servizz rikorrenti.

Jinkludu żviluppi downstream ta’ livell TRL medju bħala żviluppi “mhux hardware”.

  • Prezz massimu: Mhux aktar minn €400,000 għal attivitajiet ta’ żvilupp tal-hardware u €250,000 għall-attivitajiet l-oħra kollha.
  • Rekwiżit TRL: Minimu fil-bidu TRL 3 u massimu fit-tmiem TRL 5.
  • Kuntrattur Ewlieni: Preferibbilment għandu jitmexxa mill-industrija u preferibbilment jinkludi klijent aħħari potenzjali. Kooperazzjoni mal-akkademja hija mħeġġa.
  • Tul ta’ żmien mistenni tal-attività: 15–24 xahar.

Type D – Space science activities – Supporting the involvement of Maltese researchers in ESA Space Projects leading to potential of future involvement in ESA science mission core team and publication of peer reviewed scientific papers.  Must involve either (a), the exploitation of ESA Space Science data for scientific research or (b), a focus on the conceptual design of scientific payloads with potential for use in future ESA Science Missions under consideration or in mission proposals to be submitted for an upcoming ESA call for new Science Missions.

  • Prezz massimu: Prezz ta’ mhux aktar minn €80,000.
  • Kuntrattur Ewlieni: Għandu jkun immexxi mill-akkademja u jrid jinkludi entità mhux Maltija b’esperjenza fit-tim xjentifiku ewlieni tal-ESA.
  • Tul ta’ żmien mistenni tal-attività: 36 xahar.

Type F – Space (downstream) applications – Products and services making use of ESA/European space infrastructure that is already existing or scheduled for operation in the near term. The goal is to ensure the introduction of a product to a first customer and to enter into customers supply chain.

  • Prezz massimu: Prezz ta’ mhux aktar minn €250,000.
  • Rekwiżit TRL: Minimu fil-bidu TRL 5 u jrid jinkiseb TRL 8.
  • Prime Contractor: must be led by Industry with the capability to commercialise the service. Must include an end user customer as subcontractor. May include academia for technical support; must be co-funded to a minimum level of 25% of the total cost of the activity. No profit is allowed. Cannot be used for repetitive product uptake scenarios only first customer.
  • Expected Duration of the activity: no time indication foreseen.

Type G - Education activities

G1. University courses (development of additional modules to an existing BSc or MSc degree) leading to a qualification in space-related topics that correspond to the needs of Maltese space industry and to encourage career in space and answer to national space industry needs.

  • Prezz massimu: Prezz ta’ mhux aktar minn €75,000.
  • Rekwiżit TRL: Mhux applikabbli.
  • Kuntrattur Ewlieni: Għandu jitmexxa mill-akkademja.
  • Tul ta’ żmien mistenni tal-attività: Massimu ta’ 36 xahar.

FIFTH FIXED CALL FOR PROPOSALS UNDER THE PLAN FOR EUROPEAN COOPERATING STATES (PECS) IN MALTA was announced on the ESA Star Publication page.

Għas-sejħa separata tal-ESA PECS PhD, il-kriterji li ġejjin jipprovdu informazzjoni rigward din l-applikazzjoni.

Type G2 - PhD Thesis that corresponds to needs from the Maltese Space Industry and would lead to a new industrial product or service being able to be developed. Industry is required to present a letter of intent for the PhD Thesis to ensure the future commercial uptake of the funded work.

Il-PhD għandha tkun kofinanzjata mill-iskema nazzjonali Requesting Party Activity Scheme u minn sieħeb industrijali nazzjonali. Fi kliem ieħor, l-idea tiegħek trid tkun taqbel mal-objettivi programmatiċi tal-iskema kif deskritt hawn taħt:

  • Benefiċċju potenzjali għall-industrija nazzjonali fir-rigward tal-prodotti u s-servizzi spazjali attwali u futuri tagħhom.
  • Potenzjal li jiġu żgurati relazzjonijiet akkademiċi-industrijali fit-tul.
  • Benefiċċju potenzjali għall-istudent għal impjieg futur fis-settur spazjali.
  • Benefiċċju potenzjali għall-akkademja għal riċerka kontinwa dwar suġġetti relatati mal-ispazju.
  • b’mod partikolari, l-idea trid toħroġ mill-ħtieġa tal-industrija nazzjonali għal aktar riċerka dwar prodotti u servizzi futuri potenzjali qabel ma timpenja ruħha għall-iżvilupp tagħhom jew il-ħtieġa tal-industrija nazzjonali li tifhem il-fiżika, il-kimika jew l-imġiba tal-prodotti u s-servizzi spazjali eżistenti tagħha f’kundizzjonijiet/durazzjonijiet estremi aktar profondi, eċċ.
  • Maximum price: a price not higher than 75,000 Euro for each PhD. (2 proposals shall be funded.)
  • Rekwiżit TRL: Mhux applikabbli.
  • Kuntrattur Ewlieni: Għandu jitmexxa mill-akkademja. L-industrija trid tkun involuta bħala sieħeb fid-definizzjoni tal-korsijiet, tal-lezzjonijiet prattiċi u/jew tas-suġġetti.
  • Tul ta’ żmien mistenni tal-attività: Massimu ta’ 36 xahar.

FIXED CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR CO-SPONSORED RESEARCH ACTIVITIES (PHD THESES) UNDER THE PLAN FOR EUROPEAN COOPERATING STATES (PECS) IN MALTA was announced on the ESA Star Publication page.

Informazzjoni dwar is-sottomissjoni tal-applikazzjoni tiegħek

To submit an application for these calls please use the ESA Star Publication platform. Please also refer to this platform for any queries that you might have about either of the calls. Once the call has opened representatives from ESA or Xjenza Malta will not be allowed to answer your queries. For more details about the ESA PECS, please contact on space.xjenzamalta@gov.mt

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