August 27, 2019
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Since the Apollo 11 mission 50 years ago, space technology patents (i.e., those pertaining to spaceflight, satellite, and space exploration technology) have experienced “consistent global growth”.
Globally, there has been a 69 per cent increase in published space technology patents since 2014. Canada has led the charge with 4,891 published patents over the past 5 years, while the US and UK each had 2,763 and 104 published patents during the same period, respectively.
The international space economy is projected to reach a value of £400 billion by 2030 and the European Patent Office estimates that the space technology product market, consisting of communication satellites, navigation satellites and Earth observation, is worth up to £112 billion.
Stephen Blake, partner at Marks & Clerk, highlighted the ongoing importance of innovation and patents in this area, noting that “[i]n a highly competitive global market, innovation is more important than ever. Patents are vital to this – ensuring research and development investments are protected, and providing incentives for future research.”
Authors: Amanda Bertucci and Shadi Varkiani
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