Given that Poland invested nearly PLN 290 million in Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski’s IGNIS mission, organised by the European Space Agency (ESA), could it have made better use of its IP rights to promote this historic event? What conclusions can entrepreneurs and investors draw from Poland’s involvement in space exploration? Let’s find out.
(In)complete rights to the mission
The recently completed mission of astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, which received widespread media attention, proved to be a great scientific success, with a number of important research projects and experiments being carried out during the mission.
However, many observers were surprised that Poland was unable to effectively ‘sell’ this historic event, and that information about the astronaut’s activities did not engage the general public.
The daily reports did not include any visual elements of the mission, such as official graphics, and there was no opportunity to purchase commemorative merchandise, such as posters or other items, which would have made attractive souvenirs for young space enthusiasts and the general public.
Even before the launch of the IGNIS mission, it was known that Poland had covered the full cost of its participation, amounting to almost PLN 290 million. It was a manned mission, and thanks to it, after nearly 50 years, a Polish astronaut flew into Earth orbit once again. Therefore, it would seem that our interests should have been secured on all fronts during the preparations.
However, it turned out during the entire event that amazingly, despite the high cost, Poland had not acquired the rights to the mission name or the symbols used. Consequently, despite paying the full amount — the ESA membership fee and an additional sum of over a quarter of a billion zlotys — we did not have full control over the mission’s image. All rights remained with the ESA, which, in accordance with its own policy, is very reluctant to share IP with other entities.
A lack of IP rights can hinder mission promotion. This was evident in a situation where the Polish Space Agency asked artist Andrzej Pągowski to design a special commemorative poster, but due to Poland’s failure to regulate the use of IP rights, his work could not be used to promote this wonderful event.
Down-to-earth conclusions on IP matters
Of course, we do not know how the negotiations between the Polish delegation and the ESA proceeded, or what caused to this oversight.
Nevertheless, it is worth considering whether investors and entrepreneurs can learn from the consequences of restrictions on IP rights during a landmark event such as a Polish astronaut’s mission to space.
Intellectual property rights are present and significant in the vast majority of transactions, whether relating to architectural designs, trademarks or the results of work created with the help of third parties. It is therefore in the buyer’s interest to properly identify and effectively acquire these rights. This is particularly important in today’s world of continuous technological development. However, purchasing a company does not necessarily result in the automatic transfer of its IP rights.
Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs and investors underestimate the importance of securing and acquiring intellectual property rights. Consequently, numerous omissions in this area occur in some transactions. These can be highly detrimental to investors and may even affect the profitability of the entire investment.
The IGNIS mission is an example of this. Despite having borne significant costs, Poland was unable to properly capitalise on its success, which would undoubtedly have motivated the next generation of future scientists. What a pity.
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Tomasz Szambelan
