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SpaceXPatent grant

SpaceX was granted a patent for spacecraft stack deployment.

Source: Autobound Signal API · 97 signals tracked for SpaceX · updated

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What happened

In October 2026 SpaceX patented a system for launching multiple spacecraft together and releasing them in orbit for satellite deployment missions.

Source

Abstract

A method of deploying a plurality of spacecraft includes coupling the plurality of spacecraft in a stack to a payload adaptor, the stack extending along a longitudinal axis; launching the payload adaptor into an orbit; and decoupling an entirety of the stack from the payload adaptor after the payload adaptor reaches the orbit.

patents.google.com/patent/US12774115Read the full source

Extracted by Autobound

From the Signal API record
Signal
Patent grant

What this signalsA new patent often shows where a company is putting its R&D budget.

Grant date
Oct 27, 2026
Inventors
4
Patent number
US12774115
Assignee
Space Exploration Technologies Corp.

The full record

From the Signal API record

People

  • Andrew C. ThompsonInventor
  • Patrick SodtInventor
  • Thomas TarltonInventor
  • Robert S. TarltonInventor
  • Solomon WestermanInventor
  • Michael DerganceInventor

Details

Primary CPC class
B64G 1/643
USPTO assignee
Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
What the invention does
A method of fastening several spacecraft into one launch stack, carrying them to orbit on a shared adaptor, and releasing the full stack there.

Topics and mentions

Tags

  • Intellectual Property
  • Research & Development
  • Engineering

Technologies named

  • spacecraft deployment
  • satellite launch systems
  • orbital payload adaptors

Extraction

Detected
Oct 30, 2026
signal_type
patents-company
signal_subtype
patentGrant

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The API returns more than this page shows

This page shows a preview. The full patents-company record in the Signal API and MCP can also have these 8 fields. Some fields are empty for some signals.

Company

  • linkedin_urlValue in the API
  • industriesValue in the API
  • employee_count_lowValue in the API
  • employee_count_highValue in the API
  • revenueValue in the API
  • descriptionValue in the API

Signal

  • signal_nameValue in the API
  • associationValue in the API
Show the full JSONThe record on this page and the API request

GET /v1/signals/792d6e9c-4e84-5207-bf54-1e23b7cae9b9 returns this record as JSON. POST /v1/companies/enrich returns every signal for spacex.com.

{
  "signal_id": "792d6e9c-4e84-5207-bf54-1e23b7cae9b9",
  "signal_type": "patents-company",
  "signal_subtype": "patentGrant",
  "detected_at": "2026-10-30T00:05:43+00:00",
  "company": {
    "name": "SpaceX",
    "domain": "spacex.com"
  },
  "data": {
    "cpc": [
      {
        "code": "B64G 1/643"
      },
      {
        "code": "B64G 1/2427"
      },
      {
        "code": "B64G 1/645"
      },
      {
        "code": "B64G 1/223"
      },
      {
        "code": "B64G 1/226"
      }
    ],
    "tags": [
      "Intellectual Property",
      "Research & Development",
      "Engineering"
    ],
    "detail": "In October 2026 SpaceX patented a system for launching multiple spacecraft together and releasing them in orbit for satellite deployment missions.",
    "summary": "SpaceX was granted a patent for spacecraft stack deployment.",
    "event_at": "2026-10-27",
    "inventors": [
      {
        "name": "Andrew C. Thompson",
        "status": "unresolved",
        "is_primary": true
      },
      {
        "name": "Patrick Sodt",
        "status": "resolved",
        "is_primary": false,
        "linkedin_url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-sodt-a5577880"
      },
      {
        "name": "Thomas Tarlton",
        "status": "unresolved",
        "is_primary": false
      },
      {
        "name": "Robert S. Tarlton",
        "status": "resolved",
        "is_primary": false,
        "linkedin_url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tarlton-1515b613a"
      },
      {
        "name": "Solomon Westerman",
        "status": "resolved",
        "is_primary": false,
        "linkedin_url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/solomonwesterman"
      },
      {
        "name": "Michael Dergance",
        "status": "resolved",
        "is_primary": false,
        "linkedin_url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-dergance-61366338"
      }
    ],
    "event_kind": "grant_date",
    "grant_date": "2026-10-27",
    "source_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12774115",
    "cpc_primary": {
      "code": "B64G 1/643"
    },
    "patent_title": "Spacecraft stack assembly and method for stacking, securing, and releasing spacecraft",
    "patent_number": "US12774115",
    "uspto_assignee": "Space Exploration Technologies Corp.",
    "patent_abstract": "A method of deploying a plurality of spacecraft includes coupling the plurality of spacecraft in a stack to a payload adaptor, the stack extending along a longitudinal axis; launching the payload adaptor into an orbit; and decoupling an entirety of the stack from the payload adaptor after the payload adaptor reaches the orbit.",
    "precision_class": "structural",
    "invention_explanation": "A method of fastening several spacecraft into one launch stack, carrying them to orbit on a shared adaptor, and releasing the full stack there.",
    "technologies_mentioned": [
      "spacecraft deployment",
      "satellite launch systems",
      "orbital payload adaptors"
    ]
  }
}

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