HOW SPACE IMPACTS YOU
Insulin Pumps
Used by millions of people living with Diabetes, these implanted devices monitor blood sugar and release insulin into the body as needed. This technology was invented at NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center to monitor astronauts’ vitals during strenuous spaceflight
CAT/CT Scans
Originally developed by NASA to support imaging of the Moon, CT, or Computer Tomography, is now a live-saving technology used to create 3D cross-sectional images of bones, blood vessels, and soft tissues inside the body
Scratch-Resistant Eyeglasses
Clear plastics bend light than glass while also absorbing harmful UV-rays – that’s why your glasses aren’t made of glass. However, plastic is also much easier to scratch. NASA saw these properties, but wanted an ultra-hard coating for its space-helmet visors – and so modern diamond-hard eyeglass coatings were born. Today’s eyeglasses sold in the US contain plastic lenses that last about 10x more than older designs.
Small Phones – Big Cameras
NASA continually drives technology miniaturization that impacts our hand-held devices. Limited room on deep-space missions drove NASA to invent small cameras that could deliver high-resolution images. Portrait mode? You’re welcome!
Home Insulation
Developed to keep out the cold of extreme vacuum from sensitive satellites in orbit, NASA’s aluminized polyester “Radiant Barrier” is used as insulation in most homes & buildings today.
Water Filters
Water filters were first invented in the 1960s to purify astronauts’ drinking water so they didn’t have to launch tons of heavy fluids. This technology enabled the water filters used today in municipal plants and at-home filtration (like your Brita filter!)
Memory Foam
Used today in everything from therapeutic beds and NFL helmets to wheelchair seats and insoles, this miracle-material was invented in the Apollo-era to ensure astronauts had a comfortable (and safe) ride back to Earth in the command module.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Built into what was known as the Apollo Guidance Computer that guided the Lunar Lander to the Moon’s surface in 1969, Dynamic Random Access Memory was used to store short-term information and commands. Invented specifically for the complex operations required to take the Next Giant Leap, the spacecraft’s computers had about 32,768 bits of RAM. Cell phones today have about 16,000,000,0000 (about 500 thousand times more!)
