The 50th anniversary of the first US moon landing has kindled a yearning to return to where Neil Armstrong took those famous steps.
Armstrong considered himself to be from Langholm in the Borders and Scotland is once more at the forefront of space exploration. More space satellites are built here than by any other country in Europe, we employ more than 7,000 people in the sector and space ports are planned for Sutherland and North Uist.
The ADS Scotland 2017 Industry Fact and Figures Guide estimated that the aerospace, defence and space sectors were now worth £6.4 billion to the Scottish economy with the space sector making the largest single contribution at £2.5 billion.
With such vested interest in the sector, it’s no wonder that more and more space tech start-ups are beginning to appear across Scotland.
The UK Government considers space tech – technology for use in spaceflight, satellites, or space exploration – to be a key part of its strategy for boosting economic growth, and it’s estimated that the global space economy market will grow to £400 billion by 2030.
Our research at Marks & Clerk has found a worldwide 12-fold increase in published space tech patents from 295 in 1969 to a projected figure of around 3,500 in 2019. In the last few years alone, we have noted marked growth from 1,813 published space tech patents in 2014 to 3,067 in 2018, representing a 69% rise.
According to the European Patent Office, the downstream market for space-based products and services alone is estimated to be worth around £102-112 billion. Communication satellites make up the biggest chunk of this market (£59 billion), followed by navigation satellites (£9 billion) – the very area in which Scotland is currently excelling.
It’s fantastic to see that Scotland is seizing the moment and capitalising on its strong position to ensure that a sizeable chunk of that comes north.
But as with all innovation industries, intellectual property (IP) is crucial. Companies at the forefront of exciting and emerging tech such as satellite developments invest heavily in R&D, and protecting this investment is vital to their future prospects. It’s been recognised as a crucial step and a vital competitive advantage for over 50 years, ensuring R&D investments are protected, and providing incentives for future research.
It should therefore not be a surprise that we’ve seen such a big jump in patents being published since Armstrong made his own ‘giant leap’.
In a highly competitive global space tech market, Scottish innovators are charting a course for ever more far-flung reaches of the solar system, but IP will be with them every step of the way.
Graham McGlashan is a chartered (UK) and European patent attorney for Marks & Clerk in Glasgow
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