Week in Space Data, every Friday.
Monitor space technology patent filings, company portfolios, technology trends, and NASA licensing opportunities
Annual patent applications across all space technology domains
Market share of space technology patent applications
China has overtaken the US in raw filing volume since 2020, driven by state-sponsored programs (BeiDou, Tiangong, Chang'e). The US leads in citation impact and international PCT filings.
Patent distribution across space technology domains
Ranked by total portfolio size
| Rank | Organization | Portfolio Size | Recent (2yr) | Citations | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | CASC / CAST China | 5,100 | 1,840 | 15,200 | +28.4% |
| #2 | Boeing USA | 4,420 | 650 | 39,800 | +2.1% |
| #3 | Lockheed Martin USA | 3,950 | 580 | 34,200 | +5.4% |
| #4 | NASA USA | 3,600 | 280 | 52,000 | +1.5% |
| #5 | Northrop Grumman USA | 3,420 | 490 | 28,900 | +6.8% |
| #6 | Airbus Defence & Space Europe | 3,180 | 440 | 26,400 | +3.2% |
| #7 | RTX (Raytheon) USA | 2,870 | 380 | 22,100 | +2.8% |
| #8 | Thales Alenia Space Europe | 2,240 | 320 | 18,600 | +3.5% |
| #9 | L3Harris Technologies USA | 2,150 | 310 | 17,400 | +7.2% |
| #10 | JAXA / MHI Japan | 1,680 | 210 | 14,800 | +3.1% |
Recent and ongoing space technology patent disputes
Blue Origin challenged SpaceX patents related to vertical landing on floating platforms. The case was ultimately dismissed, with the court finding sufficient differentiation in the approaches.
Patent infringement dispute over rocket fairing separation mechanisms. Settled out of court with cross-licensing agreement.
Viasat challenged FCC approval of SpaceX Starlink modifications, citing patent and spectrum interference concerns with its own satellite broadband systems.
Dispute over satellite imaging data processing algorithms and super-resolution techniques. Resolved through mutual licensing agreement.
Iridium filed patent claims against AST SpaceMobile regarding direct-to-cellphone satellite communication technology and large phased array antenna deployment methods.
Patent data is compiled from USPTO, WIPO, EPO, CNIPA, and other patent office databases. Portfolio sizes are approximate and include granted patents, pending applications, and utility models. Growth rates and trend indicators are based on filing date analysis over the past 3-5 years. This tracker is for informational and research purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Data sources include WIPO Global Brand Database, USPTO PatentsView, Google Patents, and Orbit Intelligence.