Technologies developed for space exploration have been adopted for civilian applications.
The invention of technologies intended for use in space or to supplement space exploration has historically filtered down to consumer products. This is because the consumer market has a high profit potential for technologies and applications that are more efficient or are marketed as "cutting edge." Materials that are manufactured for space-based applications are also more durable, hence their potential for a consumer product of superior quality.
Workplace Applications
Many spin-off technologies from space research have found their way into industrial applications. Examples are computer programs that are used to design cars; this software was originally developed by NASA to test the functionality of aerospace designs. The plasma arc-welding torch is now commonly used for sheet-metal welding. This torch was first made for joining aluminum segments of the shuttle's external fuel tank. Battery-operated, compact drills were invented for the Apollo astronauts in order to collect moon rock samples; this technology is the basis for cordless tools. Fire-resistant materials made for spacesuits are now utilized by firefighters, auto racers and hazardous-materials handlers.
Medical Technology
Space research has also yielded medical tools. The ear thermometer is based on infrared sensors developed for measuring the heat of stars. Other inventions include the artificial heart, which is based on NASA rocket turbopump designs and research in fluid dynamics. Nickel-titanium alloys used in satellites are now found in braces. This composite metal has a lightness and tensile strength ideal for dental braces. The excimer laser, a specialized beam of light that dissolves organic tissue without burning it, has made angioplasty procedures safer and more efficient. Excimer lasers originated from NASA research on satellite-based lasers. Tracking lasers for navigation were first used to dock space vehicles together. This technology is now used in "LASIK" eye surgery, where a laser measures eyeball motion, sending corrective instructions to another laser doing the physical surgery.
Consumer Appliances
Smoke detectors were first developed and installed aboard the Skylab space station in the 1970s. This technology eventually reached the consumer market, and these devices are now standard household items. Microwave transmission technology invented for satellite communications would eventually give rise to satellite radio, better known commercially as the "XM" and "Sirius" channels. Scratch-resistant eyeglass lenses are based on aerospace research where a layer of carbon molecules are "grown" directly on the surface of a tool or lens, providing a hard scratch-resistant protective layer. Seat-cushioning material (now known as "memory foam") synthesized for astronauts during liftoff is now used as insoles for shoes, padding for prosthetics and in crash helmets.
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