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Run your analysis now →https://www.patsnap.com/resources/blog/rd-blog/space-domain-awareness-and-debris-patent-landscape-patent-landscape/ · Patsnap · data cut-off 2026-08-31 · downloaded from the live page
Space & Satellite Systems · Patent LandscapeSpace-Domain Awareness and Debris Patents: Who Holds the Ground and Where It's Still Open
- One filer dominates the top of the field. the leading assignee holds 80 records while fifth place sits at only 13 — a steep drop that leaves most of the ranked field with a handful of filings each.
- Filing has cooled from its 2021 peak. 61 records in 2021 fell to 48 by 2024, a 21% pull-back over that span, though 2025-2026 figures are still filling in as publication catches up with filing.
- Spacecraft systems carry the claim density. B64G cosmonautics and spacecraft classifications cover 58.1% of the 415 records in scope, more than any communications or positioning class in the set.
415
Published Records
47%
Top-5 Share of All Records
-21%
Filing Growth 2021→2024
US
Leading Jurisdiction
Filing growth compares 2021 (61 records) with 2024 (48) — a three-year span. 2024 is the most recent year we treat as complete: publication lags filing by roughly 18 months, so 2025 onwards are still filling in and any growth rate that ends there would understate the field. Top-5 share is the combined record count of the five largest assignees divided by all 415 records in scope (CR5), not by the ranked leaders only.
Published byPatsnap Research··7 min readSourced from Patsnap Eureka
Field Overview
What this landscape covers
Space-domain awareness and debris patents sit at the intersection of spacecraft engineering, wireless communication and positioning technology. The search underpinning this page pulls 415 published records filed against terms covering orbital position tracking, attitude sensing, mission trajectory planning and orbital operations, matched against space-domain-awareness and debris terminology. The result is a corpus that is heavily weighted toward spacecraft-system claims, with communications and positioning classes layered on top rather than standing alone.
Because a single record can carry several IPC classes, the technology shares below add up to more than the record total — that is expected, and it reflects how densely spacecraft, communications and positioning claims overlap in this field. Filing activity runs from 2015 through the 2026 cut-off, with the most recent one to two years understated because publication lags filing by roughly eighteen months.
Filing activity and technology composition, 2015 to the 2026 data cut-off
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Assignee ranking and totals. Derived from a Patsnap search on Space-Domain Awareness & Debris Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
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The Numbers
Filing trend and technology composition
Two views of the same 415-record corpus: how filing volume has moved year over year, and which IPC subclasses carry the claim weight.
Filing trend, 2017-2026
Filings rose from 44 in 2017 to a peak of 61 in 2021, then eased to 48 by 2024 — a 21% decline over that three-year window. Treat 2025 and 2026 figures (down to 8 in the partial latest year) as undercounts still catching up with the publication lag, not evidence of a further slowdown.
Technology composition by IPC subclass
B64G (cosmonautics and spacecraft) anchors the field at 58.1% of the 415 records, with H04B transmission technology at 32.0% and H04W wireless networks at 16.9% forming the next tier. Positioning (G01S, 11.1%) and antenna claims (H01Q, 5.3%) are present but comparatively thin, and image-data processing (G06T, 4.3%) is the smallest class tracked.
Shares are the percentage of the 415 records in scope. A patent can carry several IPC classes, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Filing trend and technology composition. Derived from a Patsnap search on Space-Domain Awareness & Debris Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.
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Try EurekaRepresentative Filing
A representative record and the most-cited prior art
Representative Record
Method for estimating collision between at least one piece of space debris and a satellite
AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
Filed by Airbus Defence and Space, this record covers an on-board method for a satellite to determine its own true orbital position, propagate its orbit forward, and calculate a probability of collision with a tracked piece of debris using state transition ephemeris data communicated from the ground. The claim structure splits work between ground-side orbit determination and on-board propagation and probability calculation.Filed 2023-07-06 · US20230211896A1
Most-cited records in this corpus
| # | Publication no. | Patent title | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US20170036783A1 | In-space manufacturing and assembly of spacecraft device and techniques | 127 |
| 2 | US5667167A | Methods and apparatus for reusable launch platform and reusable spacecraft | 102 |
| 3 | US20190389602A1 | Small satellite capable of formation flying, and formation of multiple small satellites | 93 |
| 4 | US6942186B1 | Method and apparatus for propulsion and power generation using spinning electrodynamic tethers | 67 |
| 5 | US6419191B1 | Electrodynamic tether control | 62 |
| 6 | US20150097084A1 | Spacecraft system for debris disposal and other operations and methods pertaining to the same | 61 |
| 7 | US6116544A | Electrodynamic tether and method of use | 61 |
| 8 | US20190181946A1 | Dual leo satellite system and method for global coverage | 60 |
| 9 | US10085200B1 | Radio system using nodes with high gain antennas | 48 |
| 10 | US10084536B1 | Radio system using satellites | 48 |
Citation counts favour older filings simply because they have had longer to accumulate references — read them as a signal of influence within this searched set, not as a ranking of current technical importance.
Each row carries its publication number; clicking a row searches Eureka by that number.
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Citation counts and representative records. Derived from a Patsnap search on Space-Domain Awareness & Debris Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
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What the concentration and trend numbers mean for filing strategy
The ranking and trend figures point to a field with one entrenched leader, a fast-thinning tail, and a technology mix concentrated on spacecraft-system claims rather than the communications or sensing layers around them.
Concentration
46.5%
of 415 records held by the top 5 assignees
The top of the field is steep, not broad
Five assignees account for 193 of the 415 records in scope, and the leader alone holds 80 — six times fifth place's 13. That gap matters for freedom-to-operate work: a handful of portfolios likely cover the load-bearing spacecraft-system claims, while the remaining 91 ranked assignees each hold comparatively small, more specific positions.
Top 5 combined, 193 of 415 records
Filing momentum
-21%
2021 peak (61) to 2024 (48)
Volume has pulled back from its 2021 high
Filing peaked at 61 records in 2021 and had settled to 48 by 2024, a complete and comparable three-year figure. That is a real pull-back rather than market exit, and it leaves 2024's claim space more open than the peak years for anyone re-entering with a narrower, better-drafted filing.
2021 → 2024, complete-year comparison
Technology mix
58.1%
of 415 records classified under B64G
Spacecraft-system claims dominate the mix
B64G cosmonautics and spacecraft classifications appear on well over half of all records, roughly double the next largest class (H04B transmission at 32.0%). Positioning-specific claims under G01S sit at just 11.1%, suggesting more of the fine-grained positioning and sensing work is still described inside spacecraft-system filings rather than staked out on its own.
IPC shares are of all 415 records; a record may carry several classes
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Eureka can read the same corpus for gaps instead of for coverage: under-claimed branches adjacent to space-domain awareness & debris patent landscape, with the prior art for and against each one.
Where filers pair up
| Assignee | Co-assignee | Shared families |
|---|---|---|
| HOYT ROBERT P | FORWARD ROBERT L | 11 |
| TELESAT CANADA | TELESAT TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION | 2 |
| D ORBIT SRL | D-Orbit S.p.A. | 2 |
| TELESAT CANADA | Telesat Canada | 1 |
| TELESAT CANADA | Telesat Canada | 1 |
| D ORBIT SRL | TUSSIWAND GIUSEPPE JUSSEF | 1 |
| D ORBIT SRL | ROSSETTINI LUCA | 1 |
| D ORBIT SRL | PANOZZO THOMAS | 1 |
Co-assignee activity is limited to 9 pairs across the whole corpus, and it clusters around individual inventor-holder pairs and corporate affiliate pairs rather than broad industry consortia — a sign that most work here is filed solo rather than jointly developed.
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Co-assignee relationships and derived observations. Derived from a Patsnap search on Space-Domain Awareness & Debris Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
Who Is Filing
The assignee field: one leader, a thin tail
The ranking covers 96 companies counted by records, not a top-50 or top-100 cut — and the shape of it is a steep drop from the leader to everyone else.
Leader
80
records held by the top-ranked assignee
A single filer sets the pace
The leading assignee's 80 records are more than six times fifth place's 13, and well above the combined weight most of the rest of the ranked field can claim individually. Any new entrant should expect this filer's spacecraft-system claims to be the first prior art to clear.
Leader vs fifth place: 80 vs 13
Mid-field
13 → 9
records, fifth to tenth place
The drop-off continues past the top five
Fifth place holds 13 records and tenth place holds 9 — a gentler slope than the leader's gap, but still a fast thin-out. The top 10 combined hold 247 of 415 records, 59.5% of the corpus, meaning the remaining 86 ranked assignees share well under half the field between them.
Top 10 combined: 247 of 415 records, 59.5%
Collaboration
9
co-assignee pairs across the corpus
Filing is mostly solo, not joint
Only 9 co-assignee pairings appear across 415 records, and the strongest of them is an individual inventor pair rather than a corporate joint venture. That leaves most competitive intelligence work here focused on single-assignee portfolios rather than alliance mapping.
Strongest pair: 11 shared records
Recent-year filing momentum by assignee
| Assignee | Recent year | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| NORTHSTAR EARTH & SPACE INC | 1 | 0% |
| Mitsubishi Electric Corporation | 0 | -100% |
| Star Mesh LLC | 0 | — |
| SES S.A. | 0 | — |
| TELESAT CANADA | 0 | — |
| Airbus Defence and Space SAS | 0 | — |
| D ORBIT SRL | 0 | — |
| HOYT ROBERT P | 0 | — |
Source: Patsnap Eureka. Assignee-level momentum. Derived from a Patsnap search on Space-Domain Awareness & Debris Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
Next Steps
Where to take this analysis
The dataset points to specific next questions for R&D and IP teams rather than a single conclusion.
Map freedom-to-operate against the leader's portfolio
With one assignee holding 80 of 415 records, any new spacecraft-system filing should start by clearing that portfolio's claim scope before drafting around adjacent art.
Explore assignee portfolios in Eureka →Test draft claims against the under-claimed branches
Sub-areas like onboard collision-probability calculation and debris-tracking sensor fusion show thinner filing density than the field average — worth stress-testing a draft claim there before committing to a crowded branch.
Run a claim novelty check in Eureka →Revisit the 2024-2026 window once publication catches up
The apparent pull-back after 2021 is only confirmed through 2024; treat 2025-2026 figures as provisional until later publications land.
Track filing trends in Eureka →Source: Patsnap Eureka. Forward-looking reading of the same dataset. Derived from a Patsnap search on Space-Domain Awareness & Debris Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
Frequently Asked
Questions practitioners ask about this field
One assignee leads the ranked field with 80 of the 415 records in scope, a wide margin over the fifth-ranked holder's 13. The top 5 assignees combined hold 193 records, 46.5% of the corpus, so the field is concentrated rather than evenly spread. Beyond the top 10 (59.5% of records), the remaining ranked assignees each hold comparatively small positions, which matters when scoping a freedom-to-operate search.
Filing rose from 44 records in 2017 to a peak of 61 in 2021, then eased to 48 by 2024 — a 21% decline over that complete three-year window. Figures for 2025 and 2026 look lower still, but publication typically lags actual filing by around eighteen months, so those recent years are undercounts rather than confirmed drops. The safest reading is a real pull-back from a 2021 peak, not an ongoing collapse.
Spacecraft-system claims under IPC class B64G cover 58.1% of the 415 records, making it by far the densest classification in the set. Transmission technology (H04B, 32.0%) and wireless networks (H04W, 16.9%) form a substantial second tier, while positioning-specific claims under G01S sit at just 11.1%. Because records can carry multiple classes, these figures overlap rather than sum to 100%, reflecting how tightly spacecraft, communications and positioning claims are bundled together in this field.
US20230211896A1, filed by Airbus Defence and Space, covers a method that splits collision-estimation work between ground-based orbit determination and on-board propagation and probability calculation for a satellite tracking a piece of debris. Its claims are specific to that ground-to-orbit data flow and the on-board probability calculation step, not to collision estimation generally. A design-around would likely look at alternative architectures, such as fully ground-side probability calculation or peer-to-peer satellite data sharing, rather than trying to avoid collision estimation as a concept.
The technology composition data shows thinner filing density in branches like onboard collision-probability calculation, debris-tracking sensor fusion, and image-based debris identification under G06T, which covers only 4.3% of the 415 records despite growing interest in optical debris tracking. Attitude-sensor-driven trajectory correction and antenna-integrated positioning payloads also show comparatively light coverage relative to the field's overall activity. These are reasonable starting points for a novelty search, though they should be checked against the leading assignee's full portfolio before drafting.
Answers are grounded in the same dataset. Derived from a Patsnap search on Space-Domain Awareness & Debris Patent Landscape covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-08-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish.Run this in Eureka MCP
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. Patsnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.
Machine translation. Assignee and organisation names originally recorded in Chinese, Japanese or Korean have been rendered into English by an AI translation step so that the tables stay readable. These renderings are best-effort and may not match a company's registered English name; the original name is what the underlying patent record carries, and it is what any Eureka query launched from this page uses.