Space Technology’s patents and trade secrets contribute strongly to the assets and capabilities of Northrop Grumman Corporation , which now has the second largest aerospace company patent portfolio in the world.

Our commitment to basic technology and product inventions has resulted in an extensive patent portfolio and international recognition of our leading edge technology. The United States Patent Office issues approximately 100 patents per year in the U.S. to Space Technology; a similar number of foreign patents are issued annually to protect our intellectual property internationally. To date, three thousand patents have been issued worldwide for inventions in the following major technical categories:

• Lasers/Photonics
• Microelectronics
• Spacecraft Structures
• Space Sensors
• Satellite Communications
• Avionics
• Microwave Electronics and Antennas

Space Technology shares its technology with the world by licensing it to commercial entities and through donations to charitable organizations. For example, we licensed our heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology, which enabled more efficient consumer cell phone transmitters and longer battery life. Northrop Grumman’s donation of intellectual property and equipment to University of Central Florida’s College of Optics could enable the next generation semiconductor manufacturing process called extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography.

Please contact our patent office for additional information regarding our Intellectual Asset Management and patent portfolio.