Technology Pricing

What inventions do we owe to the space race?

What inventions came about due to the space race/space exploration? Please list as many as you can!

Public Comments

1. ball point pens that can write upside down
2. all I can think of are Tempurpedic matresses and Tang.
3. that memory foam they use on the beds pens that write upside down
4. Inventions: Space rockets, Skylabs, StarWars movie, Mr. Spock,Omega wrist watch, Yuri Gagarin, Leica the dog, Space walk, Moon landing.
5. Hope this helps! http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/spinoffs2.shtml
6. The list would be entirely too long, but as a start how about everything that contains printed circuitry.
7. The following are all derived from NASA inventions for the US Space Program: Kidney dialysis machines Computer-Aided Tomography (CAT) scan Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Freeze-dried food Cordless power tools & appliances Disposable diapers Rotary blood pump Fiber optics Satellite dish Bar codes Ear thermometer Fire-resistant fabrics Smoke detector Thermal gloves and boots
8. It's actually difficult to separate the space race from the arms race. The original purpose of the space program was to beat the USSR to put weapons in space. So much of this really counts as defense. The two biggest things are microprocessors and satellite communications. The GPS system is also very wonderful. Then there's . . .let's see. Corningware. Tempur foam. Teflon--actually all kinds of plastics. New techniques for machining and casting exotic metals like magnesium and titanium. Carbon fiber epoxy, and all kinds of composite materials. CNC machining. Microwave communications. All kinds of telemetry. Huge improvements in photovoltaics (solar cells to generate electricty). Solid lubricants. Solid state memory (RAM and ROM). Lasers. Robotics. Enormous advances in astronomy because of the Hubbell Space telescope. Zero-G research. 'Stealth' (radar absorbing) materials and technology. Vacuum research. Satellite photography that helps with everything from land development to monitoring changes in global climate. Remember--just about everything on this list originally came about because they were needed or wanted by the US military!
9. One more I can think of to add to the above lists: Solid State Electronics.
10. I didn't see the ever popular velcro.