17 everyday technologies that came from the space program
From the Space exploration galleries series
Space research and development is useful in many ways here on Earth, influencing everything from health care to selfies. These technologies have long been chronicled in Spinoff, NASA's premier publication. Here are just a few of the nearly 2,000 products that have been profiled.
Air purification
In the ‘90s when NASA began studying whether or not astronauts would be able to survive long-term space missions, the research resulted in an air purification technology that is now widely used by consumers today.
Athletic shoes
A process referred to as "blow rubber molding" used in producing helmets was applied to create hollow shoe soles to be filled with shock-absorbing materials. That’s one small step for astronauts, one giant leap for athletes.
Artificial limbs
NASA’s innovations in robotics and shock-absorption enable the private sector to create solutions for animal and human prostheses.
Baby formula
Over 90 percent of baby formulas now contain a nutritional enrichment ingredient that is the result of NASA-sponsored research that “explored the potential of algae as a recycling agent for long-duration space travel,” according to a description in the 1981 edition of Spinoff.
Camera phones
Back in the 1990s, a team from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory worked to create a camera small enough to fit on a spacecraft. Today, a third of all cameras contain this technology.
CT scans and MRIs
NASA scientists pioneered digital signal processing to produce computer-improved images of the Moon during various Apollo missions. That breakthrough is the basis for the machinery used for CT scans and MRIs.
Cordless vacuums and power tools
Your cordless, handheld tools were inspired by a portable drill used to extract core samples from below the surface of the moon. The computer program used to develop that drill for the Apollo and Gemini space missions was designed by none other than Black & Decker, creators of the DustBuster and other cordless tools.
Deicing systems
The next time your December flight from New York to Chicago arrives on time, you can thank NASA for Thermawing, “a reliable anti-icing and deicing system [that] allows pilots to safely fly through ice encounters and provides pilots of single-engine aircraft the heated wing technology usually reserved for larger, jet-powered craft.”
Ear thermometers
An aural thermometer developed by Diatek Corporation and NASA uses infrared astronomy technology to measure the amount of energy emitted by the eardrum the same way the temperature of stars and planets is measured.
GPS navigation
According to Spinoff, "NASA monitors the integrity of global GPS data in real time for the U.S. Air Force, which administers the positioning service worldwide." So whether you need directions to your vacation stops or you're a member of the military seeking specific coordinates, precise navigation is available thanks to NASA.
Invisible braces
NASA partnered with Ceradyne Inc. to create a translucent polycrystalline alumina to protect the infrared antennae of heat-seeking missile trackers. This material became the critical component of the first "invisible" dental braces.
Freeze-dried food
The technology behind this food preparation created for astronauts is widely used today. Freeze-dried fruit is a prime example.
Mylar
Anyone who has seen a marathon or any other long race has probably noticed the Mylar blankets used to cover the runners once they crossed the finish line. According to PBS, Mylar was invented in the 1950s to protect NASA's spacecraft from the sun's heat and to also keep them insulated.
Olympic swimsuits
Flying through space and swimming through water can be such a drag, literally. After the 2004 Olympics, SpeedoUSA asked NASA to help design a swimsuit with reduced viscous drag. The resulting LZR Racer provides extra compression in key areas to help a swimmer use less energy to swim faster.
Scratch-resistant lenses
Work done at Ames Research Center on coatings for astronaut helmet visors inspired some of the earliest research into effective scratch-resistant coatings for prescription and sunglass lenses.
Solar panels
Solar panels lit up the space exploration scene in the early ‘80s, and the technology has been further enhanced for both space and commercial use today.
Temper foam
Originally designed to improve crash protection, the material known as "memory foam" has been incorporated into household products such as mattresses and pillows. It is also being used by NASCAR to provide added safety in racecars.
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