This section contains answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the licensing and
commercialization of NASA Johnson Space Center technologies. If you don't find the answer to your question here, please feel free to
contact our office.
Categories
+ NASA Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Technology Transfer Program
+ Information on NASA's Technologies
+ Licensing of NASA Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Technologies
+ Commercialization of NASA Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Technologies
+ Confidentiality and Privacy Issues
NASA Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Technology Transfer Program
Why does JSC commercialize its technology?
Both the US Congress and the NASA Administrator believe that by transferring NASA technology and expertise to US industry, they will help to increase the Nation's industrial competitiveness, create jobs, and improve the balance of trade. We thus emphasize both the transfer of technology for mission application within the aerospace industry and dual-use applications with non-aerospace industries.
Information on NASA's Technologies
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Where can I find information on new NASA technologies?
NASA publishes formal technical reports that describe research work
conducted at its facilities. There are also several on-line sites in
which you can access information about transferable technology. These
include:
+ NASA JSC's Technology Transfer and Commercialization Office
http://technology.jsc.nasa.gov
+ NASA Tech Briefs
http://www.nasatech.com
+ NASA Tech Finder
http://technology.nasa.gov
+ NASA Commercial Technology Network
http://nctn.hq.nasa.gov
+ NASA Technology Portal
http://nasatechnology.nasa.gov/index.cfm
Additional links to other NASA centers and related organizations may
be found by visting the
+ Technology Transfer Resources
section of this site.
-
How does a company
determine what technology is available for licensing from NASA JSC?
There are several ways. The best way to see the top NASA Johnson Space
Center technologies is to see our list of + currently available patents/technologies
ready to be licensed. Or, you may contact our office for additional information.
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If I'm interested in receiving further information on a particular
NASA JSC technology, whom do I contact?
Assistance in obtaining information on patents available for licensing
should be directed to the Commercial Technology Office at the NASA Center
where the invention occurred. You may contact our office
to receive additional information on a particular JSC technology.
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Licensing of NASA Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Technologies
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+ How do I apply for a license?
A completed license application should be directed to the Commercial
Technology Office at the NASA Center where the invention occurred. Applications
for licensing of JSC technologies should be submitted to the Office
of Technology Transfer and Commercialization, NASA Johnson Space Center,
2101 NASA Road 1, Mail Code AT, Houston, Texas, 77058-3696; Attention:
Patent Counsel. For more information please see the + How Do I Apply
for A License? section of this site.
Is there a form I
should fill out to request a license for a particular NASA JSC technology?
While there is no form to fill out, there are specific items that should
be addressed in an application for license. For specific information
on license application contents, please see the + How Do I Apply
for A License? section of this site.
What qualifications
does NASA JSC look for in determining whether or not to grant a license?
Past performance, physical resources, capabilities, adequate capital,
adequate staffing, a strong business plan, and evidence of the ability
to complete the business plan are considered.
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Can NASA grant an exclusive license(s) for particular NASA technology(ies)?
Yes, for those technologies where NASA has the patent rights. Exclusive
rights to a technology can be licensed depending on how many companies
are interested and on the company's capabilities and business as set
forth in their license application. It is generally recognized that
certain technologies require a degree of exclusivity as a necessary
incentive to permit a company to recoup the required risk capital associated
with bringing a new product to the market. Other factors that may be
taken into account are your company's commercialization plan and its
demonstrated ability to successfully complete a commercialization effort.
Will my company be
given a license to all, or only particular fields of use of a patented
NASA JSC technology under a licensing agreement?
Depending on the company's capabilities and business as set forth in
their license application, and on whether other companies are interested
in the technology, all or only particular fields of use will be specified
in a license agreement.
What happens if another
company is also interested in the same technology that my company wants
to commercialize?
There are a number of possible licensing agreements: non-exclusive,
co-exclusive, exclusive, exclusive in a particular field of use or geographic
region, and various combinations of these. NASA can request proposed
commercialization plans from all interested companies, review and evaluate
their plans, select the best plan(s), and then use the plan(s) to determine
which licensing arrangement will best ensure successful commercialization
of the technology.
What if I am the first
company to submit a license application for a particular NASA JSC technology(ies)?
Obviously, being first has some advantage, but NASA is obligated to
license its technology to companies who exhibit the capability to achieve
commercialization.
What fees and royalties
does NASA require under a license agreement?
NASA generally requires an up-front payment plus a running royalty,
which is negotiable depending on the type of license issued (exclusive
or non-exclusive) and a number of other factors, such as the specific
technology involved, the maturity of the technology, the fields being
licensed, and the amount of investment required to achieve commercialization.
There are no pre-determined fees or royalty amounts for a particular
technology. All NASA licenses are individually negotiated with the prospective
licensee, therefore JSC is not able to provide "ballpark"
quotes for licensing of a particular technology. In most instances,
after review of a completed application, Patent Counsel is able to provide
information on what is believed to be a reasonable expectation for the
licensing of a particular technology.
What percentage in
royalties does NASA require under a licensing agreement?
The percentage in royalties you'll pay to JSC in a licensing agreement
is negotiable and varies according to the type of license issued (i.e.,
exclusive or nonexclusive) and a number of other factors.
How long does the
patent licensing process take?
The amount of time required as part of the patent licensing process
varies significantly, but can be reasonably expected to take about 3
to 4 months after JSC receives a completed license application. This
amount of time varies based on the license application, plans for marketing
and development of the technology, and whether the licensee is seeking
an exclusive or non-exclusive license. A request for an exclusive or
partially exclusive license requires the publication of a notice in
the Federal Register for a period of no less than 15 days, during which
time a member of the public can file a written objection to the request,
all of which must be considered. Other factors that may affect the amount
of time required include the number of requests for a particular technology,
and the level of involvement needed during license negotiations.
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Commercialization of NASA Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Technologies
Will NASA assist me
in the job of commercializing so I can focus on technology development?
We are here to help facilitate legal, marketing, and partnering efforts
associated with the commercialization of NASA JSC technologies. Technology
commercialization is a joint effort between all parties and is important
to the future of NASA and the Nation's economy. Your company's involvement
and participation is essential.
What services are
available to assist companies with technology transfer?
NASA has established a Commercial Technology Network (NCTN) to assist
companies interested in commercializing NASA technologies. This network
includes the Regional Technology Transfer Centers as well as the National
Technology Transfer Center.
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Confidentiality and Privacy Issues
Are discussions with
NASA personnel kept confidential so that my competitor cannot learn
of company secrets and/or new product development, particularly under
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)?
NASA personnel are required by Federal statutes to protect qualified
company proprietary information.
37 CFR 404.14, "Confidentiality of Information," provides
additional protection from disclosure as follows: "Title 35, United
States Code, section 209, provides that any plan submitted pursuant
to section 404.8(h) and any report required by section 404.5(b)(6) may
be treated by the Federal agency as commercial and financial information
obtained from a person and privileged and confidential and not subject
to disclosure under section 552 of Title 5 of the United States Code."
We encourage companies to mark all qualified technical and business
proprietary information appropriately.
Does JSC enter into
confidentiality agreements with prospective commercial partners to facilitate
the exchange of technical information?
Yes. Information on the types of agreements entered into by NASA JSC
may be obtained from the JSC Technology Transfer and Commercialization
office.
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