Nerdy Science Blog

Some old technologies used even today. 40 years has passed since Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins travelled to space in Apollo 11. The technologies used in getting a man on the moon were amazing, and many of those developments are now used back here on Earth. Here are some of the technologies inspired by the space program.

Wireless Headsets

Neil Armstrong used a wireless headset to say those famous words when he stepped onto the moon’s surface, created by Pacific Plantronics. Since then headset technologies has grown a lot, and various wireless headsets were developed not just for the aviation and the space program and, but also for regular users with the desktop headsets and Bluetooth headsets used for mobile phones.

Memory Foam

Memory foam was developed in 1966 and it helps to absorb shock and was used in NASA’s airplane seats. Nowadays temper foam is used in everything from hospital beds, football helmets, and shoe insoles. Specialized “memory foam” mattresses and pillows also use this technology these days.

Cordless tools

The origin of the Cordless tools can be considered with the development of lunar drill which was battery powered developed by Black & Decker and was used for the Apollo program. Technology similar to this can be can be found in cordless screwdrivers and power drills which is used in everyday life. Flame-Resistant Clothing A fire in the Apollo launch pad killed three astronauts and this led to the development of fire-resistant textiles used for space suits and vehicles. Since then Polybenzimidazole (PBI) materials have been used by soldiers, race-car drivers and firefighters, to protect them from fire.

Cooling Suits

Space suits designed for astronauts helped them to survive in deflect radiation, extreme temperatures, and provide life support. These materials provided essential oxygen, heating, and cooling, pressure while ensuring the mobility of astronauts. Today, cooling suits are used in industrial environments to maintain body temperature and also used for people suffering from hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, which affect the body’s capability to cool itself.

Fluid Recycling

Kidney dialysis machines that we use now use a process created by NASA which helps remove the toxic waste from used fluids. This process helps to save electricity and also eliminates the need for a continuous water supply, which provides greater freedom for patients.

Exercise Equipment

Prolonged exposure to the microgravity environment of space has led to a research on “cardiovascular deconditioning,” which causes the potential deterioration the cardiovascular system of an astronaut. As a result “horizontal trampoline” (the Shuttle 2000-1) was developed, which is now extensively used by sports teams and the medical rehabilitation centers. The equipment increases cardiovascular fitness and also the muscular strength through a series of plyometric and closed-chain kinetic exercises.

Reflective Materials

Materials such as Mylar or propylene which protected astronauts from heat and radiation, are now used in regular home insulation. The “vacuum metalizing” techniques are widely used in products such as food packaging, garment insulation, window shades and wall coverings.

Freeze-Dried

Food Feeding astronauts during their long missions was a big problem and the solution was freeze-drying, a process which helps to preserve the food’s nutritional value and taste, at the same time reducing its weight and increasing shelf life.

Scratch-Resistant Lenses

A highly abrasion-resistant coating was developed by NASA’s Ames Research Center which helped to protect the plastic surfaces of aerospace equipment from various harsh environments. Foster Grant used this same technology to manufacture its Space Tech Lens, which has five times more scratch resistance capacity than regular eyeglass lenses.

Tang, Teflon, Velcro?

Tang, invented by General Foods in 1957, was used when performing eating experiments in orbit by John Glenn in 1962. Teflon, material invented for DuPont in 1938, was used for space suits, heat shields, and cargo hold liners. Velcro, which was invented in 1940s, was also used to anchor equipment for zero-gravity environments by NASA.