Main channels for space technology transfers: An international review

Paper number

IAC-21,E5,2,1,x64296

Author

Mr. Mattia Olivari, France, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Coauthor

Mrs. Claire Jolly, France, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Coauthor

Ms. Marit Undseth, France, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Year

2021

Abstract

Technology transfers have grown in recent decades as an important source of innovation, growth and job creation, and the space sector is no exception. There is evidence - some well-founded, some anecdotal - that the socio-economic benefits of technology transfer and commercialisation can be significant. 

This has led governments  in OECD and other space-faring countries to encourage the transfer and commercialisation of space technology through a wide and diverse range of measures, but to a large extent public policy is still feeling its way in terms of how best to support technology transfers and their commercialisation. This might be due to several reasons. First, there exists no broad agreement upon a shared and clear definition of what actually constitutes space technology transfer and commercialisation. Second, there is a lack of systematically researched evidence on which support measures and tools produce the desired benefits as well as of a workable general framework for supporting technology transfers. Finally, monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of support programmes are still not frequent in most space agencies.

Much as a result of these shortcomings there is in many cases insufficient information, data and knowledge guiding public decision making in this field. The purpose of this paper is provide new evidence, with a particular focus on the different channels used for space technology transfers.

The paper results from research and discussions with OECD Space Forum Steering Group members, experts in the space industry, OECD experts, and in the wider public and private science, technology and innovation community. The paper also benefited from initial discussions in a workshop co-hosted with the Space Agencies’ Technology Transfer Officers (SATTO) Group at the headquarters of Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), the French space agency in Paris in June 2017, and of subsequent exchanges with experts bilaterally and during other OECD Space Forum workshops on indicators.

Abstract document

IAC-21,E5,2,1,x64296.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-21,E5,2,1,x64296.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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