10 NASA Inventions, Surely use Every Day and Did not Know – Part 1

On July 29, 1958, President Eisenhower signed the Founding Act of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , the NASA (acronym for National Aeronautics and Space Administration ), which did not begin to run until October of that year with four laboratories and about 8000 employees.

From the beginning, the purpose of the new branch was beyond space ships and moon boots. The law stipulated that both research and developments should benefit all people and in its 50 year history,NASA has fulfilled that role.

Find out in this series of three papers Ten inventions of NASA surely use every day and did not know .

10. Invisible Orthodontics

Many teenagers cringe at the idea of wearing braces. Wear a mouth full of metal is not pleasing to anyone, even if temporary. The brackets invisible hit the market in 1987 as something exclusive, and there are now multiple brands.

The invisible braces are made of Transparent Polycrystalline Alumina ( TPA ). A company called Ceradyne developed TPA in conjunction with NASA to protect the infrared antennae that track missiles.

Meanwhile, another company, Unitek , was working on a new design for dental braces, a design that was more aesthetic than metal braces . It was discovered that the TPA would be strong enough to withstand use and is also transparent, so that is a raw material for the orthodontic invisible.

Due to its popularity, invisible braces are one of the most successful products in the field of orthodontics.

9. Resistant lenses

If you drop a pair of glasses to the ground, the lenses probably are not broken. That’s because in 1972, the FDA ( Food and Drug Administration ) began requiring manufacturers that used plastic instead of glass to make lenses.

Plastics are cheaper, better absorb ultraviolet radiation, are lighter and less likely to break. However, there was a small problem, the plastic coating tends to scratch easily and scratched lenses can alter the vision of those who carry.

Because dirt and particles found in space, the NASA developed a special coating to protect space equipment, including helmets of astronauts.

Seizing the opportunity, the sunglasses manufacturer , Foster Grant has licensed the technology fromNASA for their products. The special plastic coating on your sunglasses gave him ten times more scratch resistance than uncoated plastics.

8. Memory foam

The NASA helps many people sleep better at night. Memory foam (or memory foam ) found in mattresses was originally developed for space flight, later went on to be used in the homes of half the world.

This polyurethane foam was created for use in aircraft seats of the NASA for reducing the impact during landing. It has a unique property that allows to evenly distribute the weight and pressure at the top thereof, providing shock absorption. Even after being compressed to 10 percent of its size, the foam returns to its original shape. Some commercial and private planes now have this foam in their seats.

However, this foam applications extend beyond the heavens. Its weight distribution and temperature sensitivity play an important role for the severely disabled or bedridden.

Some companies also have integrated foam prostheses because it has the same look and feel of the skin and reduces friction between the prosthesis and joints. Other commercial uses include filling for custom motorcycle seats, body molds for making and protection of racing drivers, etc..

10 NASA Inventions, Surely use Every Day and Did not Know – Part 2

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Posted by Paracha on November 25, 2012. Filed under Articles, Innovation, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.