You may have heard of freeze-dried food to feed the Apollo astronauts, and there is even “space ice cream” developed by NASA and never used. Another invention believed to be of space origin is Teflon, but it is fake news. In short, there is a lot of confusion about what became common use after the first use on the moon.
I clarify with 10 pieces of modern technology certainly born from the Apollo mission (for those who still wondered what it was for to go to the Moon).
Cordless tools
The contribution of the NASA The development and dissemination of this 1961 invention was formidable. Black & Decker supported the Apollo program by developing a cordless drill for use on the mission. The goal was to extract moon rock samples, and there aren't many electrical outlets on the moon. In addition to the ability to work wirelessly, the “space” drill was able to withstand high temperatures and the absence of an atmosphere. Immediately after development, Black & Decker worked on a "civilian" version of the technology, and extended the number of cordless tools with screwdrivers and more. The special battery created for the mission was then also used in advanced medical devices that improved the lives of patients and the work of surgeons.
Cordless vacuum cleaner
Another development of cordless technology used for Apollo was the cordless vacuum cleaner. The main obstacle in this case was represented by the consumption of the suction motor. The challenge was successfully won, but it took 10 years to make the technology economical for diffusion: the Dustbuster, the first cordless vacuum cleaner on the market, was launched in 1979.
Fireproof suits
Fire is the worst enemy of space missions, because it develops in pressurized environments saturated with oxygen and crucial to the lives of astronauts. The first fires in the Apollo 1 cabin in 1967 cost the lives of 3 crew members. To prevent further accidents of this kind, NASA commissioned the development of special materials to line both the spacecraft and the astronauts' clothing. Monsanto, a well-known company Biotech now known for less noble reasons, developed a fabric called Durette, made chemically fireproof. She also helped create a breathing system (mask, tank and harness) that was much lighter and more wearable than previous ones. Both elements form the basis of modern firefighter equipment, which protects them from both fire and smoke inhalation.
The Nike Air
Ever heard of “moon boots”? The footwear developed for the astronauts' lunar walk had to excel in shock absorption, and ensure stability and freedom of movement to prevent the astronauts from falling. Al Gross, Apollo program engineer, realized almost immediately that the innovative design of those shoes could improve upon sneakers here on Earth.
Gross' idea was to replace the classic plastic on the sole of sneakers with a latex foam capable of better cushioning when walking or running. The addition of a small “compression chamber” around the foam base served to prevent rapid deterioration and provide stability. Two measures that required meticulous development: the aerospace engineer Frank Rudy proposed them to Nike: it was the dawn of a new shoe.
Photovoltaics
Solar panels appeared in people's minds since their first use way back in 1958 on board the two Pioneer 1 and Explorer 6 probes, which photographed the earth from space for the first time in 1959. However, it was with their use in the Apollo mission that L'Photovoltaics became a known and viable option. Clearly the first solar cells (developed by Spectrolab, a company still active today for spacecraft solar) were large and very uncomfortable. It is no coincidence that Buzz Aldrin had difficulty placing one of the two planned on lunar soil.
The first solar cells, needless to say, were much less efficient than current ones and had a very short life: just one month. But it was the beginning of a great journey that today is preparing the ground for a planet without fossil fuels.
Dialysis
To provide drinking water to astronauts on mission, NASA needed a water filtering and recycling system: for this reason it contacted the Marquardt Corporation to develop a seawater desalination system (even if it was not seawater which needed to be desalinated, eh eh). During the project, the researchers also understood how to improve the filtering method, and this method is the basis of dialysis today. Thanks to those studies, home dialysis machines no longer need to be connected to the water supply or tap, giving patients greater freedom of movement and improving their quality of life.
Magnetic resonance
In the mid-60s, on the eve of the Apollo program that included the moon landing, NASA developed a method to process images taken on the moon and improve their performance. The aim was to capture even the smallest details, and nuances that would otherwise be difficult to capture.
The method for processing images is used today in many fields, especially in the medical field: it is the basis of the image capture process carried out with MRI, with CT, with radiography and whoever has more. Earth diagnostics thanks :)
Metal covers
The thin metal covers that appear to be made of aluminum foil for food, and that you often see covering the shoulders of people in emergency conditions, come directly from research for the Apollo program.
NASA was looking for a way to protect delicate electronic instruments from space radiation without adding too much weight to the load. For this reason, he developed his aluminum sheet protections with Mylar to shield both instruments and astronauts.
Retractable roofs of the stadiums
The NRG stadium, home of the Houston Texas team, was the first American football stadium to boast a retractable roof (it was already 2001). The special fabric roof can be opened and closed very quickly: it is lighter and more resistant than steel.
Birdair Inc., a company specializing in 'textile' architecture, initially developed the fabric for astronaut suits: it had to be strong, light, long-lasting, refractory and heat-resistant. Challenge won, costs reduced by 30% e new technology for today's stadiums.
Tires of the future
There is also a technology born from the Apollo program that has not yet borne all its fruits and promises to unfold them for us in the near future. These are the tires of the future, the Superelastici, developed as an alternative to traditional ones. These are tires developed by the Glenn research center and Goodyear and directly inspired by those used on the Lunar Rover in the latest Apollo missions.
They are not made of rubber, but of shape memory foam: they can deform up to 10% and then resume their original shape. What does it mean? It means that they can withstand many more stresses and impacts without being damaged, and require no inflation.
They will equip the cars of the future (goodbye punctures) and the rescue vehicles that often find themselves operating on difficult terrain.
