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15 everyday household products invented by NASA
By Carol Christian | November 12, 2014
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Photo By Ho/AFP/Getty ImagesLife just wouldn't be as cool without NASA
Check out these common household products your wouldn't have if NASA hadn't invented them first. -
Memory Foam
Memory foam, developed by NASA, was first used in mattresses in 1987. -
Cordless Power Tools
Some of the first cordless power tools – specifically drills and vaccuums – were developed for NASA drilling. -
Photo By Scott EellsCushiony Sneakers
Athletic shoes are more cushiony, thanks to NASA technology. A customer shops for athletic shoes at a Modell's retail location in Times Square in New York.
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Photo By John Carl D'AnnibaleFreeze-Dried Foods
Ever hear of "astronaut ice cream?" -
Photo By Stephanie S. Cordle/MCTInvisible Braces
Kids across the nation can thank NASA for invisible braces. (Undated file photo) -
Photo By PAUL SAKUMA/ASSOCIATED PRESSAdvanced Baby Food Preservation
NASA technology help preserve the quality of baby food in jars. (Undated file photo) -
Photo By BWJoysticks
Teenage boys can appreciate NASA's work on the joystick controller for gaming. -
Photo By Max Faulkner/McClatchy-Tribune News ServicePanoramic Photography
Panoramic crowd shots have been enhanced by technology developed for the Mars rovers. Here, the crowd at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Mo., goes wild as Texas Rangers' David Murphy flies out to seal a Cardinals victory in Game 7 of the World Series, Oct. 28, 2011. (Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT) -
Photo By Brett Coomer/Houston ChronicleSolar Panels
Developed for the space program, solar panels are now widely used in business and private homes. Here, John Ragan, left, of NRG, Brian Green, president and CEO of the Houston Food Bank, center, and Tony Napolillo, program manager of Green Mountain Energy Sun Club, right, check out the new installation of solar panels on the Houston Food Bank's roof, Oct. 14, 2014. -
Irrigation Sensors
Sensors developed by NASA can be placed among plants to monitor irrigation. When a plant needs water, the sensor will send a text message to the grower. This can eliminate overwatering, which these garlic plants may have received, (Undated file photo)
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Photo By Mike Stobe/Getty ImagesSpeedo Swimsuits
Michael Phelps could not swim as fast if it weren't for NASA's work on his drag resistant speedo. -
Photo By Getty ImagesSmoke Detector
NASA invented the smoke detector because, as it turns out, when you're in the middle of outer space and something catches fire, you want to be able to solve that problem real fast. -
Photo By www.mikiefarias.comAdvanced Water Filtration
Schlitterbahn reclaims 96-98% of the water it uses and utilizes sophisticated filtration systems to ensure water quality. NASA technology has improved water filtration. (Undated file photo) -
Photo By Michael Paulsen/ChronicleLighter Fire Suits
NASA technology helped lighten the weight of firefighters' suits. (Undated file photo) -
Photo By Luca Bruno/STFScratch-Resistant Lenses
Bono, who says he has had glaucoma for 20 years, is probably wearing sunglasses with scratch-resistant lenses developed with the same NASA technology used in astronauts' space suits. Sept. 27, 2014. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File) -
Photo By BK Angeletti/B.K. AngelettiVelcro
NASA didn't invent veclro, despite popular belief. But their use of the product helped in popularizing, much like it did with Teflon and Tang.
"There's more space in your life than you think."
That's a line from William Shatner's public service announcement for NASA Spinoff, the adaptation of space technology to everyday life.
Under the Space Act of 1958, NASA's research and technological innovations must benefit everyone, not just astronauts.
Since then, the space agency has produced a continual flow of inventions and discoveries, many of which we use without giving thought to where they came from.
Among them are products that help us eat, drink, walk, work and even sleep better.
The NASA Spinoff website has archives of items developed over the years and related features, including a Spinoff coloring book.
One of the newer spinoff products are sensors that are placed among plants to help regulate irrigation. When a plant needs water, it sends a text message to the grower to say, essentially, "I'm thirsty."
In the mid-1970s, NASA engineers at the Johnson Space Center developed protective gear for firefighters that was about one-third lighter than what they had previously used. The new suit offered better fit and visibility, according to NASA.
An adaptation of the spacesuit upgrade was applied to athletic shoes, leading to creation of the Nike Air, which put a a pad of interconnected air cells under the heel and forefoot, NASA said.
Memory foam, also known as temper foam, was developed under a NASA contract in the 1970s that set out to improve seat cushioning and crash protection for airline pilots and passengers. Beside mattresses and pillows, memory foam has widespread commercial applications, NASA said.
Although NASA is often credited with developing Tang, Teflon and Velcro, those are not space program spinoffs. According to NASA, astronauts raised the profile of those products by using them in orbit, but they were all developed before the first American blasted into space.