IP issues.

Both the formulation and process can be patented. However, at least by US patent law, you can't just go patent someone else's work. This likely applies to the UK as well. Once they make it public, they have one year to submit an application. And even once they submit an application (which NASA most certainly would), it will not appear on the

website as an application for years. In short, you'd need a patent lawyer. Additionally, this research may even be violating someone else's patent despite it being novel, as rights are not needed to merely conduct research (patents are written as generally as possible to include anything one can get away with - I saw one patent once that somehow got through that essentially claimed any organic coating you could possibly put on any material).

To really see what is patented, you need to read the claims. It is the claims and only the claims that are the "protected" property. The rest of the patent is just the teachings, references, etc. Read the claims and you will know what is has been invented and is being protected. As has been noted by another poster, applications are not initially published, but come out only after a period of time. IIRC,18 months in the US and Europe.

John Aspen Research, -

"Turning Questions into Answers"

Opinions expressed herein are my own and may not represent those of my employer.