Nasa Spinoffs

Reasons for space exploration
Past reasons for space exploration
-natural curiosity about what's out there and wanting scientific answers.
- at one point the USA and Russia were competing for who could accomplish whatever first.
- to find ways to destroy asteroids which could be a problem to our safety.
Present reasons for space exploration
- many things we find in space, learn us more about Earth (ex: planetary atmospheres, comets and the early earth, the Sun and it's influence on climate)
- technological spin off. Space exploration requires progress in engineering that is often useful elsewhere. Think satellites for communication and anti-adhesive pans. Think computers and super pure materials
- satisfy curiosity: all humans are curious. When we lived in caves it was a life saving attitude, but we still have this need in us.
Scientific knowledge from space fights
Scientific knowledge gained from flights into space has been applied to solve the earths problems in many ways. They have applied their knowledge to agriculture, computer technologies, consumer/home/recreation, industrial and manufacturing technologies, transport, health and medicine, environmental and resource management. In order to improve the earth, and the living quality on earth. These are some of the problems that have been helped with the research done through space travel |
Unsafe food- Faced with the problem of how and what to feed an astronaut in a sealed capsule under weightless conditions while planning for human space flight, NASA enlisted the aid of The Pillsbury Company to address two principal concerns: eliminating crumbs of food that might contaminate the spacecraft’s atmosphere and sensitive instruments, and assuring absolute freedom from potentially catastrophic disease-producing bacteria and toxins. Pillsbury developed the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) concept, potentially one of the most far-reaching space spinoffs, to address NASA’s second concern. HACCP is designed to prevent food safety problems rather than to catch them after they have occurred. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has applied HACCP guidelines for the handling of seafood, juice, and dairy products. (Spinoff 1991) |
Pollution- A product using NASA’s microencapsulating technology is available to consumers and industry enabling them to safely and permanently clean petroleum-based pollutants from water. The microencapsulated wonder, Petroleum Remediation Product or “PRP,” has revolutionized the way oil spills are cleaned. The basic technology behind PRP is thousands of microcapsules—tiny balls of beeswax with hollow centers. Water cannot penetrate the microcapsule’s cell, but oil is absorbed right into the beeswax spheres as they float on the water’s surface. Contaminating chemical compounds that originally come from crude oil (such as fuels, motor oils, or petroleum hydrocarbons) are caught before they settle, limiting damage to ocean beds. (Spinoff 1994, 2006)

Environmentally Friendly Technologies
Solar Energy – NASA has pioneered photovoltaic power systems for spacecraft applications. Solar energy technology has been developed for space programs to expand terrestrial applications where no other long term energy sources exist.
Forest Management- A satellite scanning system has been developed that monitors and maps forestation. It detects radiation reflected and emitted from trees.
Oil Spill Control– The concept was invented by Petrol Rem, Inc. of Pittsburgh, Penn. Also, Marshall Space Flight Centre and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory helped to design the tiny beeswax balls (microcapsules).
These microcapsules made of beeswax are designed so that water can’t get in, but oil can. , The microorganisms inside release enzymes that digest the oil when the oil seeps through the shell. Once the balls are full of digested oil, they explode. The microcapsules release enzymes, carbon dioxide and water, all environmentally safe. The residue is even eatable fish food!
Fishing from Orbit– A series of satellites were launched in 1972 by NASA to observe the changing conditions of the earth’s surface. The ability to monitor changes to the earth for a long period of time provides invaluable information such as: preserving wildlife, monitoring air and water pollution, mapping the growth of cities, flood control and more.
Feeding Our World-And Prepping to Feed Other Worlds - Disney and NASA are working together in a unique partnership. They are striving to find ways to use human and industrial waste to provide the ingredients needed for growing edible plants. This technology will be needed for establishing human colonies on other worlds.
Other spin-offs include: Environmental Control Sensors, energy saving air conditioning, air purification, sewage treatment, pollution control and measuring devices, a whale identification method, and a earthquake prediction system. Issue | Title | Center | 2012 | Innovative Coatings Potentially Lower Facility Maintenance Costs | Stennis Space Center | 2011 | World Wind Tools Reveal Environmental Change | Ames Research Center | 2011 | Catalyst Substrates Remove Contaminants, Produce Fuel | Glenn Research Center, Marshall Space Flight Center | 2011 | Remediation Technologies Eliminate Contaminants | Kennedy Space Center | 2010 | Solutions Remediate Contaminated Groundwater | Kennedy Space Center | 2008 | Computer Model Locates Environmental Hazards | Ames Research Center | 2008 | Portable Nanomesh Creates Safer Drinking Water | Johnson Space Center | 2007 | Advanced Systems Map, Monitor, and Manage Earth's Resources | Goddard Space Flight Center | 2007 | Sensor Network Provides Environmental Data | Ames Research Center | 2007 | Voltage Controller Saves Energy, Prolongs Life of Motors | Marshall Space Flight Center | 2005 | Harnessing the Power of the Sun | Dryden Flight Research Center | 2005 | Valiant 'Zero-Valent' Effort Restores Contaminated Grounds | Kennedy Space Center | 2005 | Water and Air Measures That Make 'PureSense' | Ames Research Center | 2005 | Remote Sensing for Farmers and Flood Watching | Stennis Space Center | 2005 | Pesticide-Free Device a Fatal Attraction for Mosquitoes | Marshall Space Flight Center | 2004 | Tree-mendous Timber Evaluation | Stennis Space Center | 2004 | Multi-channel Scaler Cards Improve Data Collection | Goddard Space Flight Center | 2004 | Supporting Weather Data | Goddard Space Flight Center | 2003 | Supporting the Growing Needs of the GIS Industry | Stennis Space Center | 2003 | Mapping a Better Vintage | Ames Research Center | 2002 | Pest Control on the "Fly" | Goddard Space Flight Center | 2001 | Not Your Ordinary GEM | Stennis Space Center | 1997 | Monitoring Earth's Atmosphere | Goddard Space Flight Center | 1996 | Sensors for Environmental Control | Kennedy Space Center | 1995 | Accelerating Remote Sensing | Stennis Space Center | 1995 | Commercial Earth Observation | Stennis Space Center | 1994 | Waste Site Mapping | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | 1994 | Oil Spill Cleanup | Marshall Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory | 1994 | Oceanographic Instrument | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | 1994 | Broadening the Earthscan Industry (remote sensing) | Stennis Space Center | 1994 | Broadening the Earthscan Industry (NPS) | Stennis Space Center | 1994 | Earth Observation | Stennis Space Center | 1994 | Earth Observation (change detection) | Stennis Space Center | 1994 | War Damage Assessment | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | 1994 | Oil Exploration Mapping | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | 1993 | Natural Air Purifier | Stennis Space Center | 1992 | Earth Observation Services Weather Imaging | Stennis Space Center | 1992 | Earth Observation Services (Image Processing Software) | Stennis Space Center | 1992 | Image Processing Software | Goddard Space Flight Center | 1992 | Air/Water Purification | Stennis Space Center | 1991 | Archeological/Environmental Research | Ames Research Center | 1991 | Oceanographic Research | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | 1991 | Weather Information Processing | N/A | 1990 | Meteorological Instruction Software | Goddard Space Flight Center | 1988 | Environment Monitor | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | 1988 | Solar Electricity | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | 1988 | Wastewater Treatment: The Natural Way | Stennis Space Center | 1987 | Sewage Monitors | Marshall Space Flight Center | 1987 | Hi-Tech for Archeology | N/A | 1986 | Portable Gas Analyzer | Ames Research Center | 1983 | Noise Abatement | N/A | 1982 | Weather Data Receiver | Goddard Space Flight Center | 1982 | NASA and Mt. St. Helens | N/A | 1982 | Atmosphere Analyzer | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | 1982 | Visibility Studies | Goddard Space Flight Center | 1981 | Solar Energy Systems | Johnson Space Center | 1981 | The Watt Count System | N/A | 1980 | Environmental Analysis | Langley Research Center | 1980 | Smokestack Monitor | Marshall Space Flight Center | 1976 | Sewage Treatment | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Technology used in everyday life discovered as a result of space travel
Cordless Power Tools and Appliances - A key technological advance made the battery-powered drill possible -- a computer program was used to design the drill's motor to use as little power as possible.
At Home Smoke Detector- NASA needed a smoke and fire detector for Skylab, which was America's first space station. Honeywell, Inc. developed the unit for NASA.
Home Insulation– Space technology and other high tech ideas have been used to provide significant savings in home heating and cooling costs. A NASA-derived Barrier to Radiation is designed to reflect away 95 percent of the sun's radiant energy.
Clean Water for the Home - During the Apollo program, NASA developed a system to sterilize the astronauts' drinking water. This method included the use of ions (an atom or group of atoms carrying a positive or negative electrical charge) as part of the water filtering system. This and other technologies are used for the in home systems.
Other Consumer Spin-offs include: Scratch resistant lenses, water purification system, high-density batteries, trash compactors, shock-absorbing helmets, home security systems, composite golf clubs, smoke detectors, flat panel televisions, freeze-dried technology, sports bras, hang gliders, quartz crystal timing equipment, and more.
Effects space travel has on the human body cardiovascular system -Human beings living on Earth are affected by gravity because about two-thirds of our daily activities are standing or sitting. Because of this great amounts of body fluids such as blood pool in the lower part of the body. The human body is equipped with various mechanisms to oppose gravity to maintain sufficient blood flow to the brain.
In micro gravity environment, the quantity and the distribution of body fluid alters since it is free of the gravitational effect. This is the known as "fluid shift." Symptoms caused by fluid shift are stuffy nose, headache, and puffy face. Bone- Bones are systems involved in maintaining posture. The adult human body has 1,000 to 1,200 grams of calcium and 400 to 500 grams of phosphorus. However, once gravitational stress is removed, bone calcium and phosphorus are excessively excreted in urine and faeces. It is seen that 3.2% of average bone loss occurred after nearly 10 days of weightlessness. The loss of calcium in urine may produce urinary stone, which might cause severe pain, the decrease of bone density will lead to bone fracture. Therefore, countermeasures are necessary.
One countermeasure proposed to prevent bone loss is on board exercise mainly with the treadmill and ergo meter.
Muscle-The human body floats within the orbiting spacecraft. Therefore, astronauts can move around in spacecraft just by softly pushing against its wall. In a micro gravity environment, muscles rapidly weaken due to the lack of use.