NASA-Derived Technologies

What do artificial hearts, art restoration methods, grooved highways, memory foam, rescue equipment, surgical implants, water purification systems, and even acne treatments have in common? All directly benefit from NASA-derived technologies.

Every day, our lives are touched by space technology in ways we may not realize. Since 1976, NASA has documented that over 1,600 applications of NASA-derived technologies have benefited the public and the economy. The applications are present in our airports, factories, farms, highways, homes, hospitals, offices, and supermarkets. They have contributed to the development of commercial products and services in the areas of consumer goods, computer technology, environmental resources management, health and medicine, industrial technology, and transportation.

Several well-known products are mistakenly regarded as NASA inventions. In truth, they were only adapted by the agency for the Space Program. For instance, Tang was selected for meals in orbit. Teflon was applied to heat shields and space suits. And Velcro was used to anchor equipment in zero-gravity situations.

Featured at the Festival:

Bruce Banks, Alphaport, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio
Currently a consultant to Alphaport, Bruce holds more patents than any other researcher in Glenn Research Center history. During his forty-one years with NASA, he conducted research activities in electric propulsion technology, thin film coatings, surface texturing processes, and space environment durability. He has authored 184 technical publications and has received 147 invention and meritorious performance awards.

Peter Homer, Southwest Harbor, Maine
Peter is the developer of an innovative new space suit glove design that is strong, easy on the hands, and gives the operator a high degree of dexterity. Working alone at his dining room table, Peter designed and then manufactured the best-performing glove within competition parameters to win NASA's 2007 Astronaut Glove Challenge.

Sharon Miller, Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio
As a research engineer for twenty-seven years, Sharon has focused on environmental durability testing of power system materials for the low-Earth orbit environment. She has also been involved in the development of coatings and surface modification techniques to make materials more durable and/or to enhance properties such as heat transfer and optical performance for Earth- and space-based applications.