NASA Offers Exclusive Solar Patents to Centauri Renewables
Published Date: 12/30/2025
Notice
Summary
NASA plans to give Centauri Renewables Corp an exclusive or shared license to use two cool solar cell patents. If anyone thinks this isn’t fair or wants to compete, they must speak up by January 14, 2026. This move could boost solar tech and business, but only if no valid objections stop it!
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
NASA intends patent license to Centauri
NASA intends to grant an exclusive, co-exclusive, or partially exclusive U.S. patent license to Centauri Renewables Corp (principal place of business in El Dorado Hills, California) to practice U.S. Patent No. 9,117,948 and U.S. Patent No. 9,418,844, both titled "SELENIUM INTERLAYER FOR HIGH-EFFICIENCY MULTIJUNCTION SOLAR CELL." NASA also says it has not yet made a final determination and may deny the requested license even if no objections are submitted.
Objection and competing-application deadline
If you want to object to the planned license or submit a competing application, you must send written objections (including evidence and argument) or a completed competing application to NASA no later than January 14, 2026. NASA will treat competing applications received by January 14, 2026 as objections, and objections will not be made available for public inspection and may not be released under the Freedom of Information Act to the extent permitted by law.
License fields of use may be limited
NASA states that the "fields of use" for the prospective license may be limited and that it has not made a final determination to grant the requested license. The notice also says the prospective license will comply with 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.
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