On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:34:00 -0700 (PDT), ijqwertyuiop@googlemail.com
wrote:

:>>  Superpowers build shuttles and explore the outer edges of space with human eyes and ears
:>> at the controls while the lesser breeds are forced to beg for rides.
:>
:>
:>Stolen German missile technology and Wernher von Braun got you into
:>space. We invest our money in beneficial things like healthcare.

Healthcare.......uh huh.

FS-2000-01-007-HQ

SPINOFFS FROM THE SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM

NASA technology touches the lives of Americans everyday, in a variety
of ways. More than 1,300 documented NASA technologies have benefited
U.S. industry, improved our quality of life and created jobs for
Americans. The Space Shuttle program alone has generated more than 100
technology spinoffs. Some of the Shuttle's contributions are:

Artificial Heart - The technology used in Space Shuttle fuel pumps led
to the development of a miniaturized ventricular assist pump by NASA
and renown heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey. The tiny pump --
2-inches long, 1-inch in diameter and weighing less than four ounces
-- is currently undergoing European clinical trials where it has been
successfully implanted into more than 20 people.

Automotive Insulation - Materials from the Space Shuttle thermal
protection system are being used on NASCAR racing cars to protect
drivers from the extreme heat generated by the engines.

Balance Evaluation Systems - Devices built to measure the equilibrium
of Space Shuttle astronauts on return from orbit are now widely used
by major medical centers to diagnose and treat patients suffering head
injury, stroke, chronic dizziness and central nervous system
disorders.

Bioreactor - Developed for Space Shuttle medical research, this
rotating cell culture apparatus simulates some aspects of the space
environment, or microgravity, on the ground. Tissue samples grown in
the bioreactor are being used to design therapeutic drugs and
antibodies. Some scientists believe the bioreactor will routinely
produce human tissue for research and transplantation.

Diagnostic Instrument - NASA technology was used to create a compact
laboratory instrument that more quickly analyzes blood, accomplishing
in 30 seconds what once took 20 minutes.

Gas Detector - A gas leak detection system, originally developed to
monitor the Shuttle's hydrogen propulsion system, is being used by the
Ford Motor Company in the production of a natural gas-powered car.

Identification System - Developed to track millions of parts used for
the Space Shuttle, a digital data technology that allowed the parts to
be scanned by machines has now been commercialized. The new system
uses laser-etched markings that work on practically any surface, are
invisible and virtually indestructible.

Infrared Camera - A sensitive infrared hand-held camera that observes
the blazing plumes from the Shuttle also is capable of scanning for
fires. During the brush fires that ravaged Malibu, CA in 1996, the
camera was used to point out hot spots for firefighters.

Jewelry Design - Jewelers no longer have to worry about inhaling
dangerous asbestos fibers from the blocks they use as soldering bases.
Space Shuttle heat shield tiles offer jewelers a safer soldering base
with temperature resistance far beyond the 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit
generated by the jeweler's torch.

Land Mine Removal Device - The same rocket fuel that helps launch the
Space Shuttle is now being used to save lives by destroying land
mines. A flare device, using leftover fuel donated by NASA, is placed
next to the uncovered land mine and is ignited from a safe distance
using a battery-triggered electric match. The explosive burns away,
disabling the mine and rendering it harmless.

Lifesaving Light - Special lighting technology developed for plant
growth experiments on Space Shuttle Spacelab missions is now used to
treat brain tumors in children. Doctors at the Medical College of
Wisconsin in Milwaukee use light emitting diodes in a treatment called
photodynamic therapy, a form of chemotherapy, to kill cancerous
tumors.

Prosthesis Material - A commercial derivative of the foam insulation
used to protect the Shuttle's external tank replaced the heavy,
fragile plaster once used to produce master molds for prosthetics.

Rescue Tool - Rescue squads have a new extrication tool to help remove
accident victims from wrecked vehicles. The hand-held device requires
no auxiliary power systems or cumbersome hoses and is 70 percent
cheaper than previous rescue equipment. The cutter uses a miniature
version of the explosive charges that separate devices on the Shuttle.

Vehicle Tracking System - Tracking information originally used onboard
Space Shuttle Spacelab missions now helps track vehicles on Earth. The
commercial spinoff of the tracking software allows vehicles to
transmit a signal back to a home base. Municipalities today use the
software to track and reassign emergency and public works vehicles. It
also is used by vehicle fleet operations, such as taxis, armored cars
and vehicles carrying hazardous cargo.

Video Stabilization Software - Image-processing technology used to
analyze Space Shuttle launch video and to study meteorological images
also helps law enforcement agencies improve crime-solving video. The
technology removes defects due to image jitter, image rotation and
image zoom in video sequences. The technology also may be useful for
medical imaging, scientific applications and home video.

SPINOFFS FROM THE SPACE PROGRAM

From the frontiers of Mars to the halls of medicine. From the
spacecraft of Apollo to your kitchen sink. Technologies developed for
NASA's satellites, avionics systems, and spacecraft have come back to
Earth to spawn new industries and improve the quality of peoples
lives. Some of NASA's major contributions are:

Breast Cancer Screening - An advanced digital sensor that detects
infrared energy has been incorporated in a noninvasive diagnostic tool
that screens for breast cancer.

Breast Biopsy - A non-surgical and much less traumatic breast biopsy
technique, based on technology developed for NASA's Hubble Space
Telescope, is now saving women time, pain, scarring, radiation
exposure and money.

Computer-Aided Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Used in
hospitals worldwide, these diagnostic tools came from technology
developed to computer-enhance pictures of the moon for the Apollo
program.

Cool Suits - Worn by Apollo astronauts to stay comfortable during moon
walks, these suits today are used by race car drivers, nuclear reactor
technicians, shipyard workers, people with multiple sclerosis and kids
with a congenital disorder known as hypohidrotic ectodermal displasia.

Cordless Power Tools and Appliances - One of the most successful
commercial spinoffs of space-based technology, these re-chargeable
tools were developed to permit astronauts to do repairs in space.

Cardiac Pacemaker - First developed in the 1970's using NASA satellite
electrical systems technology, the fourth generation of this unit
incorporates space communications telemetry for noninvasive
communication with the implanted pacemaker, as well as longer-life
batteries from technology for spacecraft electrical power systems.

Fetal Heart Monitor - Technology originally used to measure airflow
over aircraft wings has been used to develop a more affordable,
portable, non-invasive, easy-to-use fetal heart monitor.

Firefighting Equipment - In response to concerns from the nation's
fire chiefs, NASA designed a lighter, smaller, self-contained
breathing apparatus that gave firefighters more mobility while working
in smoke-filled structures.

Heart Pump - The technology used in Space Shuttle fuel pumps led to
the development of a miniaturized ventricular assist pump by NASA and
renown heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey. The tiny pump -- 2-inches
long, 1-inch in diameter and weighing less than 4 ounces -- is
currently under going European clinical trials.

Kidney Dialysis - Kidney dialysis machines were developed as a result
of a NASA developed chemical process that could remove toxic waste
from used dialysis fluid.

Insulation - Insulation barriers made of aluminum foil laid over a
core of propylene or mylar, which protected astronauts and their
spacecraft's delicate instruments from radiation, is used to protect
cars and trucks and dampen engine and exhaust noise.

Insulin Pumps - Implantable and external insulin pumps, which is based
on a design of the biological laboratory of the Mars Viking
spacecraft, have aided insulin dependent diabetics. These computerized
pumps can infuse insulin at a pre-programmed rate, allowing more
precise control of blood sugar levels.

Temperature Pill - An ingestible thermometer capable of accurately
measuring and relaying deep internal body temperatures non-invasively
to an external receiver was developed from satellite communication
techniques.

Surgical Probe - Special lighting technology developed for plant
growth experiments on Space Shuttle Spacelab missions is now used to
treat brain tumors in children. Doctors at the Medical College of
Wisconsin in Milwaukee use light emitting diodes in a treatment called
photodynamic therapy, a form of chemotherapy, to kill cancerous
tumors.

Water Purification - Water purification technology used on the Apollo
spacecraft is employed in several spinoff applications to kill
bacteria, viruses and algae in community water supply systems and
cooling towers. Filters mounted on faucets can reduce lead in water
supplies.

Saving Burn Victims' Pain and Lives Fact Sheet - NASA's air and
spacecraft flaw-detecting technology is now saving the lives and
suffering of burn victims. The Supra Scanner is the first clinically
tested, commercially available product of its kind. This fact sheet
describes the Supra Scanner, how it works, its researchers, and its
benefits.

NASA Saves Lives with "Groovy" Spinoff Fact Sheet - NASA researchers
have proven that cutting thin grooves across concrete runways to
create channels for excess water to drain reduces the risk of
hydroplaning. This fact sheet explains the dangers of hydroplaning and
improvements made to highways, walkways, runways, and plants across
the United States.

NASA Riblets for Stars & Stripes Fact Sheet - A key piece of NASA
technology assisted in the Stars and Stripes winning an Olympic medal
and the America's Cup. The boat's "secret weapon" was a riblet skin
coating applied to the hull's underside that helped the craft slide
through the sea more smoothly. This fact sheet explains the technology
and its applications to air transportation.

NASA's Gleaming Satellite Adapted as Economic Giant Fact Sheet - The
process of coating plastics with a mist of metal to create a foil-like
effect is called metallization. Since its development in the 19th
century, the process was refined by NASA and has progressed into many
diverse commercial products including insulated garments, life rafts,
reflective blankets, wall coverings, window shades, food packaging,
candy wrappings and photographic reflectors. Learn more about this
process and its contributions to the space program through this fact
sheet.

Futuristic Materials - Part of Our Present Fact Sheet - From a nozzle
cone on a rocket to the brakes on a race car, NASA Langley's
development of new materials is influencing not only the way we
explore space and travel but the way we live on Earth as well. While
these materials were created as part of aerospace research, many have
"spin-offs" which bring the new technology to our everyday life.

NASA Langley Technology Revolutionizes Dentistry Fact Sheet - NASA
Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., with the United States Navy,
is developing an instrument to detect the onset of periodontal
disease. This fact sheet features benefits and the technology involved
in this process.

New Inspection System Uses Heat to Detect Flaws Fact Sheet - The
Thermal Bond Inspection System (TBIS) provides information about flaws
in aircraft structure. This system is completely non-invasive and
non-contacting, responds rapidly, can image a variety of different
materials, and can be used to examine large surface areas of varying
shapes.

Digital Mammography -- Remote Sensing Technology Fact Sheet -
Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center believe that the computers
and Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) that worked so well on satellites
examining the atmosphere can also be effective in mammograms for the
early diagnosis of breast cancer.

Johnson Technology Spinoffs Fact Sheet - Through NASA's Technology
Spinoffs Program, Johnson Space Center is Bringing Space Down to
Earth. Learn how these common secondary uses, called space spinoffs,
have continuously enhanced the lifestyle of Americans and strengthened
the U.S. economy since the 1950s.

For more information on NASA Spinoffs, please refer to our Web site
at: http://nctn.hq.nasa.gov/success/index.html

March 2000