The Final Frontier: Will IP Apply In Space?

Space might remain the final frontier, but with businesses and start-ups increasingly recognising the commercial opportunities afforded by space and satellite technologies, it is a frontier that many are increasingly willing to tackle. The recent news that human cartilage tissue was successfully 3D printed in space, whilst sounding like the stuff of sci-fi, is just another example of boundaries being pushed in this emerging market.

Beyond this however, such examples also raise important questions for innovators thinking about space age technologies. In particular, who owns intellectual property in space, and how can innovation be protected?

While space business might sound out of this world, getting the fundamentals for success in place remains key as in any other business. Central to innovative industries such as space-tech is intellectual property (IP). Companies at the forefront of exciting and emerging technologies invest heavily in research and development,