Beyond Tang: The Beyond Tang: The Hidden Benefits of the Hidden Benefits of the

Space ProgramSpace Program

Dr. Nadine G. BarlowDr. Nadine G. BarlowDept. Physics and AstronomyDept. Physics and AstronomyNorthern Arizona UniversityNorthern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZFlagstaff, AZ

Space Program BenefitsSpace Program Benefits

US Space Program US Space Program has been around has been around since 1958since 1958

Technology Technology developed for space developed for space program has often program has often subsequently subsequently provided practical provided practical benefits to society.benefits to society.

NASA SpinoffsNASA Spinoffs

Health and Medical Health and Medical SpinoffsSpinoffs

ICU Monitoring SystemsICU Monitoring Systems

Developed from systems Developed from systems used to monitor used to monitor astronauts during the astronauts during the space missions.space missions.

Image ProcessingImage Processing

Image Processing technology now Image Processing technology now used in CAT scans and MRI evolved used in CAT scans and MRI evolved from techniques originally developed from techniques originally developed for analyzing lunar and planetary for analyzing lunar and planetary images.images.

Breast Cancer DetectionBreast Cancer Detection BioScan System detects new cancer BioScan System detects new cancer

lesions by looking for heat caused by lesions by looking for heat caused by increased blood flow.increased blood flow.

Infrared imaging technology originally Infrared imaging technology originally developed for planetary and terrestrial developed for planetary and terrestrial observations.observations.

Other Medical SpinoffsOther Medical Spinoffs

CCD Imaging

MolecularModeling

Telemedicine

RoboticSurgery

Transportation and Transportation and Public Safety SpinoffsPublic Safety Spinoffs

Highway MonitoringHighway Monitoring Monitoring of traffic at Monitoring of traffic at

multiple intersections and multiple intersections and highways was developed highways was developed from NASA Mission from NASA Mission Control technologyControl technology..

Grooved Highways and RunwaysGrooved Highways and Runways

NASA research NASA research showed that cutting showed that cutting thin grooves across thin grooves across concrete runways concrete runways reduces the risk of reduces the risk of hydroplaning.hydroplaning.

These grooves These grooves improve aircraft tire improve aircraft tire friction performance friction performance in wet conditions by in wet conditions by 200-300%.200-300%.

Global Positioning Satellite Global Positioning Satellite TechnologyTechnology

Global satellites now provide Global satellites now provide very precise positional very precise positional information.information.

GPS units have dramatically GPS units have dramatically improved search and rescue improved search and rescue operations.operations.

Wide Area Augmentation Wide Area Augmentation System provides detailed System provides detailed information on aircraft information on aircraft locations.locations.

Other Transportation SpinoffsOther Transportation Spinoffs

Composite Materials

Fuel Cell Technology

Automatic Navigation Systems

Consumer SpinoffsConsumer Spinoffs

CommunicationsCommunications

Communication satellites Communication satellites have revolutionized long-have revolutionized long-distance telephone distance telephone communications.communications.

Much of the cell phone Much of the cell phone technology has been technology has been derived from space derived from space program spinoffs.program spinoffs.

Scratch-Resistant LensesScratch-Resistant Lenses

Coatings developed by Coatings developed by NASA for spacecraft NASA for spacecraft have been adapted to have been adapted to produce lenses which are produce lenses which are 10x more scatch-resistant 10x more scatch-resistant than ordinary glass than ordinary glass lenses.lenses.

Product CodingProduct Coding

NASA developed NASA developed computer-read bar computer-read bar coding to keep track of coding to keep track of shuttle parts.shuttle parts.

Now used to Now used to ““scanscan”” products at check-out products at check-out counters.counters.

Other Consumer SpinoffsOther Consumer Spinoffs

Camera ChipsChair Lifts

Fiber Optics

Environmental and Environmental and Resource ManagementResource Management

Weather SatellitesWeather Satellites

Weather satellites have dramatically improved weather Weather satellites have dramatically improved weather forecasts and severe weather predictions.forecasts and severe weather predictions.

Volcano and Wildfire MonitoringVolcano and Wildfire Monitoring

Resource MonitoringResource Monitoring

Remote sensing Remote sensing technology developed for technology developed for analysis of planetary analysis of planetary images has improved images has improved agricultural production.agricultural production.

Similar technology can Similar technology can be used for natural be used for natural resource management resource management and disaster analysis.and disaster analysis.

Other Environmental SpinoffsOther Environmental Spinoffs

Digital Maps

Ocean Studies Ozone Hole and Climate Studies

Computer TechnologyComputer Technology

MiniaturizationMiniaturization

Much of the technology Much of the technology which has led to smaller which has led to smaller computers was derived computers was derived from NASAfrom NASA’’s need to s need to reduce weight on space reduce weight on space missions.missions.

Data Analysis ToolsData Analysis Tools

The need to sort through The need to sort through huge amounts of data huge amounts of data from space missions has from space missions has led to data analysis tools led to data analysis tools useful in many everyday useful in many everyday applications.applications.

Automatic Detection TechniquesAutomatic Detection Techniques Technology to develop Technology to develop

rovers with autonomous rovers with autonomous hazard detection capability is hazard detection capability is being used in robots to being used in robots to explore hazardous explore hazardous environments on Earth.environments on Earth.

Scientific KnowledgeScientific Knowledge

Greenhouse EffectGreenhouse Effect

The extreme greenhouse The extreme greenhouse effect identified on effect identified on Venus in the 1960Venus in the 1960’’s led s led to more research into to more research into global warming on Earth.global warming on Earth.

Climate ChangeClimate Change

Mars is now believed to Mars is now believed to have once been much have once been much more Earth-like, with more Earth-like, with lakes and possibly oceans lakes and possibly oceans of liquid water. of liquid water.

What happened to Mars What happened to Mars to make it the cold, dry to make it the cold, dry world we see today?world we see today?

Could something similar Could something similar happen to Earth?happen to Earth?

Sun-Earth ConnectionsSun-Earth Connections

SOHO and other Sun-SOHO and other Sun-observing spacecraft help observing spacecraft help us determine when flares us determine when flares and coronal mass and coronal mass ejections might affect ejections might affect Earth and our orbiting Earth and our orbiting spacecraft.spacecraft.

Search for LifeSearch for Life

Consideration of possible Consideration of possible habitats conducive to life habitats conducive to life elsewhere in the solar system elsewhere in the solar system and universe has led to and universe has led to discovery of life in extreme discovery of life in extreme terrestrial environments.terrestrial environments.

EducationEducation

Kids love space!Kids love space! Space-themed activities Space-themed activities

help to inspire many help to inspire many students to study math students to study math and science.and science.

For More On NASA SpinoffsFor More On NASA Spinoffs

Go to Spinoffs page:Go to Spinoffs page:

http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/