{"id":495484,"date":"2022-09-24T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-23T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T01:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-09-23T22:00:00","slug":"16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/","title":{"rendered":"#16 NASA Inventions We Use Every Day"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3dc8140ce37\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3dc8140ce37\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#%E2%80%9C16_NASA_Inventions_We_Use_Every_Day%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;16 NASA Inventions We Use Every Day&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Cellphone_Cameras\" >Cellphone Cameras<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Memory_Foam\" >Memory Foam<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Wireless_Headphones\" >Wireless Headphones<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Clamshell_Laptops\" >Clamshell Laptops<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Scratch-Resistant_and_UV_Protective_Lenses\" >Scratch-Resistant and UV Protective Lenses<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#LED_Innovations\" >LED Innovations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Infrared_Thermometers\" >Infrared Thermometers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Freeze_Dried_Foods\" >Freeze Dried Foods<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Better_Baby_Formula\" >Better Baby Formula<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Cordless_Vacuums_and_Power_Tools\" >Cordless Vacuums and Power Tools<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Improved_Smoke_Detectors\" >Improved Smoke Detectors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Invisible_Braces\" >Invisible Braces<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Improved_Tires\" >Improved Tires<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Emergency_Extraction_Tools\" >Emergency Extraction Tools<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Foil_Blankets\" >Foil Blankets<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#Home_Insulation\" >Home Insulation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/16-nasa-inventions-we-use-every-day\/#More_NASA-Funded_Technology\" >More NASA-Funded Technology<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9C16_NASA_Inventions_We_Use_Every_Day%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;16 NASA Inventions We Use Every Day&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<!-- UNCACHED CONTENT --><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-831512 size-full\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations1.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Examples of products, like a no-contact thermometer, made possible by NASA research.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"iHealth\/Apple\/Invisalign\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">iHealth\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a>le\/Invisalign<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You\u2019d probably be shocked at just how many items we use every day started life in a NASA lab.\u00a0Sometimes you\u2019re trying to get astronauts home safely, and in the process, you invent something that belongs in every home or toolkit.<\/p>\n<p>So whether NASA outright invented the thing or sunk a lot of time and money into improving an existing thing, here are some of the ways the space agency has improved our lives.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cellphone_Cameras\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_0\">Cellphone Cameras<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831830 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations5.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/Photobit\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eric Fossum and Sabrina Kemeny with early examples of early CMOS sensors. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/Photobit<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s tough to pick a particular thing to top a list of everyday things that NASA invented that have an ongoing impact on our lives, given the sheer breadth of things the agency has been involved in over the years.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s hard to top cellphone cameras in terms of how often we use them and how prominent they are in our day-to-day lives. From snapping cute pictures of our pets and kids to recording historical moments that shift public discourse, the cellphone camera has a massive presence in modern life.<\/p>\n<p>And it all started back in the 1990s at NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) when <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2010\/cg_3.html\">a team lead by NASA scientist Eric Fossum<\/a> successfully miniaturized a Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor. These sensors were clearly superior to the Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) sensors in use at the time, but adoption was slow.<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully Fossum and his colleague Sabrina Kemeny were persistent. They started the company Photobit and spearheaded the use of CMOS sensors in industrial and commercial applications.<\/p>\n<p>Their research and persistence paved the way for the tiny sensors found in your cellphone as well as numerous other applications like compact home security cameras, video doorbells, dash cams, and anywhere else you need a tiny camera package but big results.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Memory_Foam\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_1\">Memory Foam<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831834 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations6.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A photo of a NASA Space Shuttle and a hand compressing some memory foam.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/Dynamic Systems\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/Dynamic Systems<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>From <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lifesavvy.com\/28161\/the-comfiest-pillows-for-a-good-nights-sleep\/\">memory foam pillows<\/a> to entire <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/LUCID-Inch-Memory-Foam-Medium\/dp\/B08624TRBP\/?tag=lsmedia-2958-20\">memory foam beds<\/a>\u00a0and even the premium memory foam seats in your car, you can thank NASA for all that cushy goodness.<\/p>\n<p>Developed back in the 1960s, \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2005\/ch_6.html\">temper foam<\/a>\u201d was originally intended to provide deep and body-conforming cushioning to test pilots in NASA aircraft and later for astronauts to protect them from the intense pressure of space launches and the body-rattling impact of returning to Earth in recovery capsules.<\/p>\n<p>It took a few years and a few revisions to the original foam formula\u2014mostly to tweak it to be less insulative\u2014but eventually, memory foam became ubiquitous. You\u2019d be hard-pressed to find a household in America that doesn\u2019t have one (or a dozen) things with memory foam.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wireless_Headphones\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_2\">Wireless Headphones<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831837 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations7.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A photo of Neil Armstrong and a wireless headset used during the Apollo missions.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/Poly\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Neil Armstrong and an early wireless headset, shown stripped out of the flight cap. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/Poly<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Spend any time in a business environment and you\u2019re bound to come across the name Plantronics (rebranded to Poly in recent years). Their <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Plantronics-Wireless-Convertible-Canceling-Microphone\/dp\/B00R6WYK2O?tag=lsmedia-2958-20\">wireless headsets<\/a> are a staple in offices everywhere.<\/p>\n<p>Back in the 1960s, NASA contracted with a research lab, ITT Labs, to develop a portable wireless radio system to ensure that astronauts weren\u2019t dependent only on ship-based communications. This development arc was particularly urgent to them after Mercury program astronaut Gus Grissom almost perished because flooding in his recovery capsule shorted out his radio equipment with no backup.<\/p>\n<p>ITT Labs built a model around one of Planctronics\u2019 aviation headsets, and NASA ended up <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2005\/ch_9.html\">working directly with Plantronics<\/a> to build a compact wireless version right into a helmet.<\/p>\n<p>This led to a long collaboration between Plantronics and NASA, resulting in a variety of innovations in miniaturization, improved wireless communication, noise canceling, and a variety of wireless headphone benefits we all enjoy today.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Clamshell_Laptops\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_3\">Clamshell Laptops<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831516 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations2.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"An example of the GRiD Compass laptop from a museum collection and in space.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"The Smithsonian Insitute\/NASA\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The first clamshell computer both on land and in space. <span class=\"imagecredit\">The Smithsonian Insitute\/NASA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While NASA didn\u2019t invent portable computers, the organization had a key influence in the very early years of laptop development.<\/p>\n<p>Way back in the infancy of both the personal computer and portable computer markets, NASA and other US agencies contracted with a company called <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spectrum.ieee.org\/nasas-original-laptop-the-grid-compass\">GRiD Systems to secure access to their rugged clam-shell computer<\/a>, the GRiD Compass\u2014featuring a 320\u00d7240 pixel screen, an Intel 8086 processor, 340 KB of RAM, and support for external hard drive and floppy drive modules.<\/p>\n<p>At NASA\u2019s request, various modifications were made over the years, including the introduction of laptop fans. The laptop was originally passively cooled, but in microgravity passive convention cooling didn\u2019t work well, requiring fans to push air over the components. The design choices in those early laptops persist to the present, and in the decades since, we\u2019ve never topped the clamshell.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Scratch-Resistant_and_UV_Protective_Lenses\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_4\">Scratch-Resistant and UV Protective Lenses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831839 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations8.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A photo of an astronaut in a space suit and an ad featurnig the new lens.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/Foster Grant\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From astronaut visors to sunglass lenses, the technology can be found everywhere. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/Foster Grant<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Whether you\u2019ve paid a premium for scratch-resistant eyeglasses or you\u2019ve simply enjoyed a pair of safety glasses in your garage or at work that seemed particularly long-lived, you can trace that scratch resistance back to NASA. And if you\u2019ve bought some cheap sunglasses or a much pricier welding helmet, you can thank NASA too.<\/p>\n<p>In a bid to make astronauts\u2019 helmet visors <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2006\/ch_6.html\">more protective against ultraviolet light<\/a> and more resistant to scratching, NASA researchers, working along with the Foster Grant eyeglass company, advanced both fronts significantly. Since the early 1980s, the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spacefoundation.org\/space_technology_hal\/scratch-resistant-lenses\/\">non-scratch coatings created by Theodore Wydeven<\/a> at NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center have been applied to millions of eyeglasses and other surfaces\u2014first on pairs of Foster Grant sunglasses and shortly after on practically everything.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"LED_Innovations\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_5\">LED Innovations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831853 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations9.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"LED grow lights in space and an LED healing lamp.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From space grow ops to wound healing, NASA has invested heavily in LEDs. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>NASA didn\u2019t invent the LED. The history of prototypical LED winds all the way back to the early 20th century, and the LED as we know it now was first invented by General Electric scientist Nick Holonyak, Jr. in 1962.<\/p>\n<p>But what NASA did do is sink a lot of money into funding LED-based research into everything from grow lights to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2018\/cg_7.html\">help astronauts cultivate plants<\/a> on the International Space Station to red and infrared <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2005\/hm_1.html\">LED lights for wound treatment<\/a>, of course, a wide variety of research into lighting focused on circadian rhythm maintenance.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the latter research has found its way into home lighting design and even sleep tools and apps. When you set up a sleep routine with your Philips Hue lights or fire up an app like Sleep Cycle, you\u2019re tapping into decades of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2019\/cg_8.html\">NASA research on the subject<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Infrared_Thermometers\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_6\">Infrared Thermometers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831864 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations10.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A deep space telescope and a woman getting her temperature checked with an ear probe. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Deep in space or not-so-deep in your ear, NASA tech can do it all. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The easy-peasy (and child-friendly) infrared thermometers on the market that just require a quick ear canal insertion or forehead tap started off as a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/blog\/2013\/5\/infrared-ear-thermometer\">NASA collaboration between the Diatek Corporation and JPL<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The method of temperature taking was based on the same infrared technology NASA used to measure deep space infrared energy sources, repurposed to provide readouts of human body temperatures.<\/p>\n<p>The technology eventually made its way into everything from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/iHealth-Thermometer-Vibration-Notification-Thermopile\/dp\/B075QQ8VZW\/?tag=lsmedia-2958-20\">the thermometers we use when we\u2019re sick<\/a> to the handy temperature guns we use to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lifesavvy.com\/131867\/gozney-roccbox-pizza-oven-review\/\">check pizza ovens<\/a> and other surfaces.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Freeze_Dried_Foods\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_7\">Freeze Dried Foods<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831872 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations11.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Examples of freeze dried food.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/Astronaut Foods\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Actual NASA rations, and some terrestrial offerings from Astronaut Foods. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/Astronaut Foods<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Most of us aren\u2019t walking around every day munching on a daily ration of freeze-dried astronaut rations\u2014though if you haven\u2019t tried freeze-dried ice cream at least once, you\u2019re missing out on a strange experience.<\/p>\n<p>But there\u2019s no denying that freeze drying and other food preservation methods have greatly benefited from NASA\u2019s influence and contributed greatly to improved food safety and storage methods around the world.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2020\/cg_2.html\">NASA-funded research into freeze drying<\/a> is why, today, you can buy cereal with tiny bits of freeze-dried strawberries, for instance, that seem to \u201cmagically\u201d reconstitute themselves into something soft and sweet when dunked in milk.<\/p>\n<p>Want a freeze-dried fact for the road? NASA did fly freeze-dried ice cream in space during the Apollo 7 mission, but it wasn\u2019t particularly popular. In fact, by the 1970s, technology had advanced enough that Skylab astronauts could eat regular old ice cream<\/p>\n<p>You can thank NASA gift shops and curious kids for the enduring popularity of \u201castronaut\u201d ice cream, as well as the folks at <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/astronautfoods.com\/\">Astronaut Foods<\/a> who keep the freeze-dried space food dream alive for gift shop goers.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Better_Baby_Formula\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_8\">Better Baby Formula<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831875 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations12.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"An example of a 1970s era space meal, and a canister of baby formula.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/Abbott\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Skylab meals spurred a bid to improve nutrition that improved baby formula too. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/Abbott<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>NASA didn\u2019t invent baby formula, but research into inexpensively and safely improving the nutritional value of food served to astronauts in space did.<\/p>\n<p>Back in the 1980s, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2008\/ch_8.html\">NASA and the Martin Marietta Corporation<\/a> were researching the use of microalgae for a variety of purposes, including food, oxygen generation, and waste disposal\u2014all in a bid to make extended stays in orbit and beyond feasible.<\/p>\n<p>In the process, they discovered that a key fatty acid, docosahexaenoc acid (DHA), could be mass-produced using algae strains. They later found a way to produce another key fatty acid, arachidonic acid (ARA), using fungus.<\/p>\n<p>The latter, DHA, became crucial in producing improved baby formula and, later, fortifying milk. In fact, if you look at the label on baby formula or DHA-fortified milk today, you\u2019ll almost certainly find that the DHA is supplied by an algal source.<\/p>\n<p>DHA is critical to brain development, and since the discovery of this cheap production method, millions of babies around the world have enjoyed better brain growth as a result of its inclusion in formulas.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cordless_Vacuums_and_Power_Tools\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_9\">Cordless Vacuums and Power Tools<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831520 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations3.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"An astronaut using a lunar drill and the DustBuster, made possible by the same motor technology.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/Industrial Designers Society of America\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Apollo program was a huge leap for mankind and technology in general. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/Industrial Designers Society of America<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Introduced to the market in 1979, the Black &amp; Decker DustBuster was quite a novelty. It was a tiny hand-held vacuum that ran off an internal battery. That doesn\u2019t sound amazing today\u2014practically everything is handheld and battery-powered now\u2014but it kicked off a battery-powered revolution in home appliances and power tools.<\/p>\n<p>That wave of consumer battery-powered tools was powered by <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F10625-space-spinoff-technology-handheld-vacuum.html&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">research undertaken on behalf of NASA<\/a>, however. Black in the late 1960s, NASA had contracted Black &amp; Decker to make battery-powered versions of various tools, like drills for taking lunar samples. The research and computer modeling that went into making high-efficiency motors for the program became the bedrock of the motors that would power the DustBuster and other tools.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improved_Smoke_Detectors\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_10\">Improved Smoke Detectors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831877 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations13.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A photograph showing Skylab and a smoke detector module.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Space station fires are serious business, and NASA works hard to detect them. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ionization smoke detectors are the most popular type of smoke detectors in the world, and we can thank a collaboration between NASA and Honeywell in the 1970s for improving them.<\/p>\n<p>That collaboration focused <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=QV14h3bsLR8C&amp;pg=PA42&amp;lpg=PA42&amp;dq=honeywell+skylab+detector&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=7pcFDta9ak&amp;sig=ACfU3U0XJIZ_US3IHL6dpdkcokZywfGMzQ&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjJgeyI8IX6AhXbpokEHYPNCSQQ6AF6BAgYEAM#v=onepage&amp;q=honeywell%20skylab%20detector&amp;f=false\">on creating smoke alarms for Skylab<\/a> that would detect fires but not generate false alarms, which led to what were originally advertised as \u201cno-nuisance\u201d smoke detectors when Honeywell brought them to market. The detectors featured a wider range of particulate detection so that a tiny bit of particulate didn\u2019t set them off and were an upgrade over existing commercial models.<\/p>\n<p>Later improvements in smoke detection, like photo-electric sensors, improved things further but ionization smoke detectors remain a cheap and widely available option.<\/p>\n<p>NASA continues to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/station\/research\/space_smoke.html\">conduct research in the field<\/a> in service of creating new and advanced ways to detect fires in space\u2014the photo, at right above, shows a type of infra-red laser backscatter smoke detection device designed for the International Space Station by Honeywell. Maybe one day, they\u2019ll even invent a smoke detector that doesn\u2019t expire.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Invisible_Braces\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_11\">Invisible Braces<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831884 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations15.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Two types of clear ceramic braces.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"3M\/Invisalign\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From clear \u201cglass\u201d brace bases to invisible aligners, braces have changed a lot in forty years. <span class=\"imagecredit\">3M\/Invisalign<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The memory foam connection and freeze-dried foods might have a fairly well-known NASA connection, but most people don\u2019t realize Invisalign and similar \u201cinvisible\u201d braces do too.<\/p>\n<p>The material in question is <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/node\/9290\">translucent polycrystalline alumina (TPA)<\/a>. It was originally discovered by NASA while researching ultra-strong polymers that could cover radar equipment without diminishing signal transmission.<\/p>\n<p>The original dental application was for dental brace bases on each tooth but still linked together by a wire like traditional braces. Later, companies like Invisalign made alignment trays that covered the entire tooth without connective wires. And while that\u2019s a significant contribution to dentistry, it\u2019s hardly <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/audience\/foreducators\/k-4\/features\/F_Bite_Out_of_Discomfort.html\">the only one NASA has made<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improved_Tires\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_12\">Improved Tires<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831886 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations16.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A rendering of the Viking mission and a photo from the Goodyear archives.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/Goodyear\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201cSpace tires, you say? I\u2019ll take four for me and a dozen for the lads back home.\u201d <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/Goodyear<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the 1970s, a collaboration between NASA and Goodyear Tire to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/node\/9606\">develop stronger materials for the parachute shrouds<\/a> used on the Viking landers led to improved tires for everyone.<\/p>\n<p>When the fibers were used in radial tire design, it yielded a tire with five times the strength of a traditional steel-radial tire and boosted the tread life.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to other tire innovations over the years, like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/technology.nasa.gov\/patent\/LEW-TOPS-99\">chain-based non-pneumatic tires<\/a>, NASA also made a significant contribution to highway safety: <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/offices\/oct\/40-years-of-nasa-spinoff\/safety-grooving\">safety grooving<\/a>. If you\u2019ve ever driven over a stretch of highway and noticed the highway had longitudinal grooves carved into it you\u2019ve seen a NASA creation in action.<\/p>\n<p>The grooves were originally applied to runways used for Space Shuttle landings to reduce skidding and have since been applied to roads, sidewalks, and other concrete surfaces for the same purpose.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Emergency_Extraction_Tools\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_13\">Emergency Extraction Tools<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831879 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations14.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A shuttle launch and a set of Lifeshear tools.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/Hi-Shear Technology\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">When seconds matter, shearing through metal is serious business. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/Hi-Shear Technology<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This is, thankfully, an invention that none of us have to experience every day or even, for that matter, once in a lifetime if we\u2019re lucky.<\/p>\n<p>Historically, emergency extraction tools used to open up crumpled cars or cut through the crushed infrastructure of a collapsed build were heavy. The iconic \u201cjaws of life\u201d rescue tool, for instance, is a large and heavy hydraulic tool.<\/p>\n<p>A collaboration between NASA, firefighters, and the Hi-Shear Technology company led to a really clever repurposing of existing NASA technology. By scaling down the pyrotechnically-charged shearing device used to separate the solid boosters from shuttles into a handheld device that could be used to shear through metal, they created a very portable and very powerful tool for helping rescue people trapped in and under metal.<\/p>\n<p>The resulting product, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/vision\/earth\/technologies\/human_spaceflight.html\">Lifeshears<\/a>, has been in use since the 1990s and was even used during rescue efforts after the 9\/11 attack.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Foil_Blankets\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_14\">Foil Blankets<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831528 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations4.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Examples of foil blankets in use.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/AMC\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Good enough for space gear and eccentric Better Call Saul characters. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/AMC<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>You\u2019ll often hear reflective emergency blankets, like those emergency responders wrap around car crash survivors and such, referred to as \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2006\/ch_9.html\">space blankets<\/a>.\u201d This is because the reflective metallic material they are made out of was invented by NASA to help shield and insulate equipment and even entire portions of space stations. There\u2019s a reason that shiny-metal-foil look is inseparable from the space program.<\/p>\n<p>Not only does the technology persist in the form of the space blankets used for emergencies and by performance athletes, but a variety of companies have also incorporated the technology into gloves, clothing, and other garments. Which, given NASA\u2019s long history of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2013\/cg_5.html\">spurring textile innovation<\/a>, is no surprise.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Home_Insulation\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_15\">Home Insulation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-831880 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Copy-of-2-Up-1080p-Header14.png?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"NASA\/RadiaSource\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">If it\u2019s good enough to insulate the Hubble Space Telescope, it\u2019s good enough for your house. <span class=\"imagecredit\">NASA\/RadiaSource<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Closely related to the insulative properties of the space blankets is the use of NASA technology in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2004\/ch_6.html\">home insulation<\/a>. Many companies make radiant barrier styles of insulation based on technology first developed in the 1960s to help insulate Apollo-era astronauts from the temperature extremes of space, like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.radiasource.com\/\">RadiaSource<\/a> seen above right.<\/p>\n<p>By sandwiching a lightweight layer of thermal break insulation between two layers of aluminized polymer, this style of insulation can help stabilize the temperature of a home as a fraction of the size and mass of traditional insulation.<\/p>\n<p>Between the original space blankets and radiant barrier innovations, NASA\u2019s research has found its way into everything from our homes to our lunchboxes.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"More_NASA-Funded_Technology\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_16\">More NASA-Funded Technology<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Speaking of finding its way into everything, we could write for months without covering everything NASA\u2019s efforts have brought into the public sphere. If you\u2019ve read over these highlights with interest, we\u2019d highly recommend you check out <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/\">NASA Spinoff<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s an archive maintained by NASA highlighting all the ways NASA discovered or funded technology has been used outside the space program. You\u2019d be amazed at how many little things around you started life as part of the early space program and beyond. From <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Telescope-Mirror-Tech-Improves-Eye-Surgery\">telescope mirror tech improving eye surgery<\/a> to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/spinoff.nasa.gov\/Spinoff2019\/ps_5.html\">water filters that work like human kidneys<\/a>, there is a staggering amount of NASA technology in the world around you.<\/p>\n<p>And if ever the question of \u201cIs NASA worth it?\u201d should cross your mind, it\u2019s about as much of a slam dunk investment as you\u2019ll find. Various economic analyses on NASA funding over the years, like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/nasa_economic_impact_study.pdf\">this 2020 economic impact study<\/a>, consistently find that for every dollar of NASA funding, the direct and indirect economic gain is between $7 to $14. Looking over just this list, no doubt, it\u2019s easy to see why.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/831363\/these-nasa-innovations-are-all-around-us-everyday\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;16 NASA Inventions We Use Every Day&#8221; iHealth\/Apple\/Invisalign You\u2019d probably be shocked at just how many items we use every day started life in a NASA lab.\u00a0Sometimes you\u2019re trying to get astronauts home safely, and in the process, you invent something that belongs in every home or toolkit. So whether NASA outright invented the thing&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":495485,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/NASAInnovations1.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-495484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495484"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495484\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}