“This episode of DNews is brought to you by Full Sail University.”
People ask ALL THE TIME why we're exploring space and if that money could help people
on Earth.
I'm here to tell you IT ALREADY DOES HELP!
One of the biggest questions we get whenever we do space stories is "why are we spending
all this money on space travel?
What does it do for me?"
And I'm here to tell you…
It does a crap-ton for you.
And I’m not just talking about stupid stuff like batteries, eyeglasses, GPS navigation,
weather satellites or global telecommunications -- because who needs THOSE things, amirite?
In 1962, NASA created a program of offices specifically dedicated to track Technology
Utilization and Industry Applications of NASA efforts.
Since 1976, they've published an issue of what they call "Spinoff" every year, cataloging
nearly 1,800 projects.
The projects are commercial ventures using tech either wholly developed by NASA, created
in partnership or by contract with NASA, or using NASA patents, experience, technology,
research, personnel, data… et cetera.
Basically, if NASA wasn't around, many of these techs probably wouldn't be either.
One that caught my eye from the 2013 issue of Spinoff, was the Space Shuttle Main Engines,
inspiring new solar power plants.
It might not seem immediately obvious, but it stuck with me.
An SSME would kick on in temperatures as low as -423 F (217C) and burn as hot as 6,000
F (3316C) -- hotter than the boiling point of iron.
It was built for NASA, but the company that built it (now owned by Pratt & Whitney), took
the experience of working with superheated materials and turned it into a 110-megawatt
solar plant which powers 75,000 homes in Nevada.
Sunlight is concentrated onto a single point at the top of a tower, and superheated salt
is used to create steam and turn turbines.
They created a company called SolarReserve which is now opening plants all over!
If you're feeling distracted, another NASA spinoff might help.
Unique Logic created a game that helps you learn to pay attention by monitoring your
brainwaves!
See, NASA scientists know that too much automation makes the mind wander, and they wanted pilots
to have an automated system that could tell if they were distracted..
If a pilot wandered too far off task, the flight simulator would release more controls
to manual -- forcing them to focus.
Whereas if they were on task, the sim would take over more controls.
This was in the 1980s!
Today, the technology has been adapted for video gaming, the nuclear power industry,
US Olympic sports, and NASCAR!
Speaking of sporting events, another spinoff is the GigaPan.
You've probably seen these online; they're giant images taken from mountaintops or building
spires, or at events which let you zoom in a seemingly IMPOSSIBLE amount to see shoes,
read newspapers or find faces in a crowded stadium.
The technology was originally developed for use on the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity.
It showed up in Spinoff in 2008, when Gigapan began marketing the technology to consumers
and event planners.
It works by taking hundreds of photos, and then stitching them together using software.
It creates a very compact system (perfect for space travel) and creates GIANT images
(great for analyzing an alien planet).
And that's just THREE of these amazing technologies!
Software designed to test the control of spacecraft long before takeoff has inspired bank fraud
protection.
And software for analyzing satellite images of stars was pointed at the human brain to
help detect alzheimer's in MRI scans.
The number of technologies touched by manned exploration of space is incredible.
So next time someone writes, "What a waste!"
in the comments, link them to this video.
Oh, and point out that Tang isn't a thing.
It was invented for use on the ground.
Sure, NASA tried it out but it's not a thing.
Let's move past that myth.
What's your favorite space technology?
I think mine might be LED lights that help plants grow.
More food for everyone!
Tell us yours down below!
None of these techs would be possible without software to run the system, and we need people
to write that software!
Full Sail University in Florida offers courses to help train tech professionals by blending
code and real-world experience.
Students of Full Sail have hands-on access to technology on their first day, they get
a discounted laptop and all the software they'll need to earn degrees in software, mobile and
web development.
They offer a blend of coding AND real-world experience.
Which is the best way to learn.
To find out more and support our show go to fullsail.edu/dnews!
Thanks for watching!