Monday, July 20, 2009

Ten Apollo Spinoffs

Okay, it's June 21 - but 40 years ago, the first men on the moon were still there this day (they didn't go back into the lunar module until just after midnight Central Standard Time). So here, in no particular order, are ten products or technologies resulting from the Apollo program:

1. flame-resistant polymer textiles that protect firefighters and soldiers
2. freeze-dried foods that preserve nutrients and increase shelf life
3. life support systems that filter and purify water
4. reflective materials that insulate homes and buildings
5. fluid recycling methods that simplify kidney dialysis
6. Teflon-coated fiberglass used in "green" buildings
7. metal-bonded polyurethane foam insulation protects the Alaskan pipeline
8. space suit technologies modernize athletic shoes
9. cardiovascular conditioning equipment
10. cool suits that kept Apollo astronauts comfortable during moon walks are today worn by race car drivers, nuclear reactor technicians, shipyard workers, and people with certain illnesses

For more information, see NASA Spinoffs and The Benefits of Space Exploration.

2 comments:

Cathy W. said...

Interesting info!

FYI: WeChooseTheMoon.org is a new web site from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum that recreates the Apollo 11 mission online. The site tracks the capsule’s route, the moon landing, and Neil Armstrong’s moonwalk.

Site visitors can see "animated recreations of key events from the four-day mission, including when Apollo 11 first orbits the moon and when the lunar module separates from the command module, as well as browse video clips and photos and hear the radio transmission between the astronauts and NASA flight controllers."

Tracy said...

Great Post Amanda! Thanks for covering for me.