October 21, 2026
We strengthen Europe and beyond through space. For a resilient, secure future.
ESA’s Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity is responsible for strengthening Europe’s resilience and enhancing navigation and connectivity systems and technologies in line with the space, security and defence priorities of ESA Member States, the European Union and space and defence-related agencies in Europe. By advancing resilience from space, satellite navigation and secure connectivity, we bolster Europe’s strategic autonomy, support a competitive European space industry and turn innovation into capabilities that deliver real benefits on Earth and beyond.
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ALL NEWSESA Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity
€300M+
Funding distributed
1700+
Supported projects
1500+
Participating companies
Three pillars. One ambition: Resilience from Space. ESA’s Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity directorate strengthens Europe’s ability to anticipate, withstand and respond to disruption through three complementary pillars: Resilience from Space, developing integrated space capabilities to protect critical infrastructure and essential services; Satellite Navigation, advancing precise, reliable and trusted positioning, navigation and timing through programmes including Galileo, EGNOS, NAVISP and FutureNAV; and Secure Connectivity, delivering secure, next-generation satellite communications, optical and quantum technologies, and integrated networks through initiatives such as IRIS², HydRON and Moonlight. By bringing together European and Canadian industry, academia and institutional partners, we turn ambition into operational capabilities, strengthen industrial competitiveness and build the technologies, infrastructure and partnerships that will underpin Europe’s security, resilience and connectivity, today and in the future.
Programmes
Improving the accuracy and reliability of existing GNSS signals
Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) 4.0
Transforming investment into successful products and services
In details
Through its generic and strategic programme lines, ESA’s ARTES 4.0 enables European and Canadian industry to explore innovative concepts that stimulate the wider economy, creating new business and jobs across every industry, through cutting-edge research and development. The programme supports the production of market-leading and innovative products and services within a fiercely competitive global satellite communications market, offering varying degrees of funding to projects, whatever their operational or commercial maturity.
MOONLIGHT
Enabling connectivity and navigation services on the lunar surface and to Earth
In details
Our Moonlight programme aims to lead Europe in enabling connectivity from the lunar surface and to the Earth, serving the needs of future missions by creating a constellation of satellites for connectivity on and from the Moon. The Moonlight programme works with industry to create a shared service in telecommunications and navigation, which is predicted to contribute to the activation of a lunar economy worth billions of Euros.
EU Secure Connectivity
Supporting the EU’s strategic autonomy, resilience and competitiveness
In details
ESA is cooperating with the European Commission to develop the EU's flagship multi-orbit secure telecommunications programme, the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²). The programme will provide the EU and its Member States with secure connectivity services for government authorities, businesses and citizens, as well as play a role in connecting underserved communities, to help bridge the digital divide.
EGNOS enhances the accuracy, reliability and integrity of GPS satellite navigation signals across Europe. Its services support any wide range of applications that requires more reliable and precise positioning than that already provided by GPS or Galileo alone. EGNOS supports a wide range of sectors, including agriculture helping farmers in aerial crop spraying or precision farming, and maritime transport, assisting ships manoeuvring in narrow channels. However, its primary application is in aviation, where it supports critical phases of flights such as take-off and landing.
NAVISP drives innovation beyond satellite navigation, exploring local augmentation techniques, the integration of receivers with additional sensors and the combination of signals from different satellite navigation constellations and orbits. The programme also studies the integration of satellite navigation with terrestrial technologies, as well as complementary positioning and communication methods.
Galileo is Europe’s global satellite navigation system, providing high-accuracy positioning, navigation and timing services to users around the world. Managed and funded by the European Commission, Galileo is a flagship programme of the European Union, alongside EGNOS, Copernicus and IRIS². ESA plays a central role in turning the EU’s programme objectives into a high-performing space and ground infrastructure, leading the design, development and qualification of the system and working with European industry to deliver its next generation of capabilities.
ESA's programme for developing and demonstrating the next generation of Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) technologies, systems and services. Building on more than 30 years of expertise in satellite navigation, FutureNAV explores breakthrough technologies that can enhance the performance, resilience, robustness and autonomy of future navigation solutions, and helps Europe prepare for emerging institutional and commercial needs.
ESA’s Moonlight programme, NovaMoon mission will improve positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services on the lunar surface. It will help rovers, landers and astronauts navigate on the Moon like cars, planes and pedestrians navigate on Earth. It will be the first reference, selenodetic (Moon-measuring) and timing station on the Moon. It will enhance the precision of Moonlight and other lunar navigation systems, allow the development of a lunar reference frame and help establish lunar time.
Horizon Europe is the European Union’s key funding programme for research and innovation. Under Horizon Europe, ESA has been entrusted with the implementation of research and development (R&D) activities to advance future generations of European Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), most notably Galileo and EGNOS.
Working together for Europe’s future
ESA Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity works across the European space ecosystem, collaborating with Member States, the European Union, industry, research organisations and international partners. Together, we are developing the technologies, infrastructure and services that strengthen Europe’s resilience, secure its connectivity and sustain its navigation capabilities.
Discover our projects. Work with us to shape Europe’s future in space.
Discover our projects. Work with us to shape Europe’s future in space.
How to work with us
Companies and organisations - whether small or large, new or experienced - can participate in our programmes: from the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) 4.0, and our lunar programmes, to the ESA Programme Related to EU Secure Connectivity (IRIS²) and NAVISP.
We’re driving the resilience, competitiveness, autonomy, and growth of navigation and satellite communications
Funding
Various levels of financial support and technical risk mitigation, whatever the stage in your project’s development
Networking
Connect with stakeholders across our Member States – from Europe to Canada, and from industry to academia
Expertise
We boast decades of experience. Your project will receive the ESA stamp of authority and benefit from world-leading technical support and facilities
Agile process
Kickstart your satellite communications and navigation activities with the help of our flexible and fast application options
How to apply in 3 easy steps
Get started1
Check your eligibility
Identify the programme that fits your project
2
Prepare your proposal
Use our templates and guidelines to successfully submit your application
3
Submit your application
You’ll receive feedback on your proposal and can track it at every stage in the process
Careers with ESA Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity
We bring together the best minds. Our teams include engineers, researchers, business developers, administrators and support staff. We have frequent vacancies at all career phases, from internships to senior management roles, and across all our establishments. Be a part of shaping how resilient, secure and reliable connectivity and navigation benefits our societies from now, and into the future. On Earth and beyond.
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