6G NTN-TN Unification/Integration
SNS R&I Work Programme 2025
Funding Amount
€8.0M - €8.0M
Deadline
18/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution
Trusted by
What is the 6G NTN-TN Unification/Integration Call?
Grant Description
The call supports research and innovation activities to develop core technologies, architectures and protocols enabling seamless integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. It addresses the challenge of providing continuous service across satellite and ground segments with seamless roaming and optimised performance, security and sustainability. Expected outputs include unified control-plane solutions, dynamic routing frameworks, spectrum sharing schemes, multi-tenancy resource slici...
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
Successful projects will deliver:
• Core TN-NTN technologies, protocols and architectures enabling seamless access and network-fabric continuum, with roaming beyond hybrid networks.
• Mechanisms for tight SNO-MNO cooperation supporting diverse business models and end-to-end service delivery via either TN or NTN, tuned to coverage, latency (real-time or non-real-time), bandwidth and sustainability metrics.
• Innovative space-segment multi-tenancy models and independent NTN reconfiguration for optimized performance, security and resilience.
• Compatibility with advanced use cases (high-rate direct-to-device, PPDR, aeronautics, other NTN-specific scenarios) and adaptability to 3D non-satellite nodes.
• Ready plans for demonstration of critical technologies in later work programmes, leveraging low-cost demonstrators (e.g. CubeSat) or partnerships (ESA, national initiatives) to validate applicability to specific missions and use cases.
• Core TN-NTN technologies, protocols and architectures enabling seamless access and network-fabric continuum, with roaming beyond hybrid networks.
• Mechanisms for tight SNO-MNO cooperation supporting diverse business models and end-to-end service delivery via either TN or NTN, tuned to coverage, latency (real-time or non-real-time), bandwidth and sustainability metrics.
• Innovative space-segment multi-tenancy models and independent NTN reconfiguration for optimized performance, security and resilience.
• Compatibility with advanced use cases (high-rate direct-to-device, PPDR, aeronautics, other NTN-specific scenarios) and adaptability to 3D non-satellite nodes.
• Ready plans for demonstration of critical technologies in later work programmes, leveraging low-cost demonstrators (e.g. CubeSat) or partnerships (ESA, national initiatives) to validate applicability to specific missions and use cases.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
Proposals must address one or more of the following R&I scope areas:
1. Unified Control Plane: optimize TN-NTN service provision by managing multiple access networks according to QoS, bandwidth, latency, sustainability and storage requirements; support demanding use cases (PPDR, aeronautics).
2. NTN Reconfiguration: develop management capabilities for independent reconfiguration of the NTN segment to enhance performance, security and resilience.
3. Dynamic Routing: design multi-dimensional routing schemes for traffic across TN, NTN (including ISL at system-level) and optical links, accommodating long propagation delays and flexible topologies.
4. Multi-Orbit Constellation Framework: extend reference constellation systems for evaluating routing/mobility schemes, including robustness in TN outages and spectrum feasibility analyses.
5. Spectrum Management: devise dynamic spectrum access and sharing methods in FR3 (7–15 GHz up to 24 GHz) and, where applicable, reuse TN frequencies for NTN scenarios, especially for critical applications.
6. Multi-Tenancy & Slicing: enable end-to-end resource slicing across multiple tenants and seamless handover between TN and one or more NTN infrastructures.
7. 3D Node Adaptability: adapt protocols/architectures to non-satellite flying nodes (drones, 3D platforms) and develop early concepts for improved GNSS-free positioning.
Applicants must explicitly identify which subset of the above areas they address. Out-of-scope: in-depth R&I on advanced payloads, multi-antenna satellite technologies or dedicated ISL subsystem development.
1. Unified Control Plane: optimize TN-NTN service provision by managing multiple access networks according to QoS, bandwidth, latency, sustainability and storage requirements; support demanding use cases (PPDR, aeronautics).
2. NTN Reconfiguration: develop management capabilities for independent reconfiguration of the NTN segment to enhance performance, security and resilience.
3. Dynamic Routing: design multi-dimensional routing schemes for traffic across TN, NTN (including ISL at system-level) and optical links, accommodating long propagation delays and flexible topologies.
4. Multi-Orbit Constellation Framework: extend reference constellation systems for evaluating routing/mobility schemes, including robustness in TN outages and spectrum feasibility analyses.
5. Spectrum Management: devise dynamic spectrum access and sharing methods in FR3 (7–15 GHz up to 24 GHz) and, where applicable, reuse TN frequencies for NTN scenarios, especially for critical applications.
6. Multi-Tenancy & Slicing: enable end-to-end resource slicing across multiple tenants and seamless handover between TN and one or more NTN infrastructures.
7. 3D Node Adaptability: adapt protocols/architectures to non-satellite flying nodes (drones, 3D platforms) and develop early concepts for improved GNSS-free positioning.
Applicants must explicitly identify which subset of the above areas they address. Out-of-scope: in-depth R&I on advanced payloads, multi-antenna satellite technologies or dedicated ISL subsystem development.
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
1. Admissibility: full proposal page limit of 70 pages (General Annex A, Horizon Europe Work Programme, RIA Stream B/C).
2. Eligibility: participation limited to legal entities established in EU Member States, Associated Countries, OECD and Mercosur countries. Entities directly or indirectly controlled by non-eligible countries require guarantees; high-risk mobile network suppliers (or their affiliates) and entities from Russia, Belarus or non-government-controlled Ukraine (and those >50% Russian-owned) are ineligible.
3. Gender: public bodies, research organisations and higher-education establishments must hold a Gender Equality Plan; proposals should integrate the gender dimension where relevant.
4. Grant Setup: General Annexes B–G apply (financial/operational capacity, evaluation criteria, award rules, legal/financial grant setup). Tie-breaker in evaluation: SME participation level, then IKOP contribution.
5. Collaboration & Open Science: selected projects must sign an SNS ‘collaboration agreement’ and make AI/ML training data sets openly available via a common repository for reuse by other SNS projects.
6. Call-specific: a bespoke application form and single-stage submission (deadline 18 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time).
2. Eligibility: participation limited to legal entities established in EU Member States, Associated Countries, OECD and Mercosur countries. Entities directly or indirectly controlled by non-eligible countries require guarantees; high-risk mobile network suppliers (or their affiliates) and entities from Russia, Belarus or non-government-controlled Ukraine (and those >50% Russian-owned) are ineligible.
3. Gender: public bodies, research organisations and higher-education establishments must hold a Gender Equality Plan; proposals should integrate the gender dimension where relevant.
4. Grant Setup: General Annexes B–G apply (financial/operational capacity, evaluation criteria, award rules, legal/financial grant setup). Tie-breaker in evaluation: SME participation level, then IKOP contribution.
5. Collaboration & Open Science: selected projects must sign an SNS ‘collaboration agreement’ and make AI/ML training data sets openly available via a common repository for reuse by other SNS projects.
6. Call-specific: a bespoke application form and single-stage submission (deadline 18 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time).
Important dates
Open from: 22/05/2025
Deadline:18/09/2025
Application period has ended
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