Outcome and Results
Year after year, ESA develops a vast array of innovative technologies and applications to make Europe’s space endeavours happen. When ESA staff members are involved in devising an innovation or invention, then the Agency is free to apply for a patent. ESA typically patents 10–20 inventions per year with a resulting portfolio of around 580 patent applications and patents.
ESA files patents with the goal of protecting the European space industry. Patents prevent others from claiming credit to ESA’s work, allowing European companies to use them free of charge for space applications, and reinforce ESA’s position in terms of cross-licensing – the exchange of licenses with other patent holders.
ESA makes its intellectual property available on a freely licensed basis to European space companies within the Agency's 22 Member States. For use by companies outside of ESA Member States, or for non-space applications, a different licensing model is in place, allowing ESA to request royalties.
As one of the few space agencies operating across all space sectors, ESA's portfolio ranges across subjects such as radio-frequency payloads and systems, structures and pyrotechnics, electromagnetic technologies and techniques, materials and processes, robotics, optics, electrical power, propulsion, and much more.
The objective of this call was to assess ideas for the technical and commercial maturation of ESA’s inventions in view of its future commercialisation as part of a product or service. This allows industry to benefit from developments made by ESA staff.
The 13 ideas submitted have led to eight activities which were kicked off in 2022. One additional idea is currently under development through a NAVISP Element 2 activity. The activities cover different topics ranging from microwave components and antennas to onboard signal processing or improved positioning through machine learning. In some cases, the proposed ideas have gone beyond the original application envisaged by the ESA inventors.
Resources
• Campaign launch article on esa.int
• Article on selected ideas on esa.int