There is a rapidly growing constellation of technology orbiting
the Earth. From powering navigation systems that we take for
granted such as GPS, to allowing us to peer into the cosmos,
significant investments in launch capabilities and space
technologies are fuelling massive growth and enabling greater
access to space. Estimates suggest that by 2040, the global space
industry will grow from $350 billion (USD) in 2020 to be worth $1
trillion (USD).1
On Earth, intellectual property (IP) law, and
in particular patent rights, provide inventors with a means to
protect their inventions. With the rapid growth in new space
technologies and innovation, researchers, inventors, and companies
need to consider how they can protect their IP above Earth's
atmosphere and also on any journey it takes to get there.
