Privatizing the space economy: A perspective on U.S. government and private-sector participation based on patents

Analyzes the volume and growth in U.S. patent applications that disclose space inventions

January 2025
USPTO report
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This report constructs a comprehensive and detailed definition of space technologies to analyze growth in U.S. patent applications disclosing space inventions. Our definition includes nine components that are further grouped into four areas. These areas include space-based terrestrial applications; space transportation and habitation; space exploration and development; and space technology and operations. The nine component technologies include: satellite communications; position, navigation and timing; Earth observation; space transportation; human space habitation; space science; space manufacturing and resource development, space operations and logistics; and general space technologies. The figure below shows our definition of space technologies visually.

Figure 1 Graphic showing of the four space technology areas included in the report and their nine constituent component technologies. ? The 9 space component technologies grouped by color into 4 areas: exploration/development, tech/ops, terrestrial applications, transport/habitation