NASAis best known for exploringspace, but the agencystechnologyis also touching down on Earth.
A new book, calledSpinoff 2022, shines the spotlight on the products that have emerged from NASAs research.
The book also explores 20recentNASA innovations that are ripe for commercial app.
These range from abiometricsystem that unlocks phones with heartbeatsto a thin-filmdevice that convertsCO2 into fuel.
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NASA has sought to develop practical products since the agencys inception in 1958.
Lockney oversees the strategy for finding these areas of overlap.
The process begins whenever someone spends NASA money on R&D to create something new.
The invention is first reported to the Technology Transfer office.
Teams at NASAs field centers then determine whether the designs are technically feasible and could have a secondary app.
If its software, NASAgives it away for free.
But the most common approach is to just publish the content and share it as widely as possible.
The free market is then responsible for turning the invention into products.
The program is primarily taxpayer-funded, although NASA does collect a small royalty fee on licensed patents.
The public service has produced a diverse array of products.
However, not all the rumors about NASAs innovations are true such as the myth of the space pen.
The rig was less flammable than pencils and removed the risk of broken lead floating around in microgravity.
NASA then tested and approved the design for space use.
Even theSoviet Union has purchased the pen forspaceflights, while NASA astronauts continue using it today.
Another common misconception is thatNASA invented Tang, a drink mix that was used on several early space missions.
But thats so audacious and abstract, its hard to wrap your mind around it.
A tertiary benefit of that loftier goal is we also get these cool processes, products, and services.
They also prove that exploring space can have terrestrial benefits.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
