NASA Spinoff Technologies is a way for NASA to obtain new discoveries and collect data which they can use for the benefit of mankind. The mission of NASA is to explore space, and they do this with various space telescopes such as the NASA Solar Terrestrial Survey or NASA TESS. When a telescope is launched into space, it gathers data and observations from it for long periods of time. The observations are sent back to the researchers who analysis of the data, and then determine if the observations fit with their research. If it does, then they notify NASA and the project is moved forward.

It’s a really cool story, but the end result is quite exciting. A recent paper by Joseph J. Combs at the University of Texas was titled “NASA Spinoff Technologies: Combining Commercial Applications with Public Sector Research”, and he was kind enough to allow me to write an article about it. In it he outlined three ways that NASA could utilize these technologies for the betterment of the country. These are technologies such as imaging, infrared thermography, Near Earth Orbit (NEO) studies, and space probe engineering. In this article I will talk about how these three technologies could be used by NASA to do the job they were designed for.

Infrared Thermography

This is one of the most exciting NASA Spinoff Technologies out there right now. Infrared thermography is the detection of temperature changes on objects in space by using thermal images. This technology allows scientists to see into dark places and even in total darkness. If this technology is successfully developed and used by NASA, it will allow scientists to take better pictures and better detect the heat sources of everyday life.

 

Near Earth Orbit: Some people don’t realize that NASA has Spinoff Technologies in the works for space exploration. One such Spinoff is Near Earth Orbit (LEO). Near Earth Orbit is similar to the idea of using a spinning satellite for getting data from space that we wouldn’t be able to get any other way. Other possible NASA spinoff technologies for LEO include space telescopes, unmanned exploratory vehicles, and communications systems.

 

Space Pen: A spinoff of the space shuttle program, the space pen is also in development. A space pen is basically a very large black and white board that is used by astronauts during their mission to write on it. This technology would allow us to capture more data from space without having to write actual papers on real paper. Some possible applications for this technology could include tracking experiments, writing and reviewing experiments, and writing reports to flight control. Other possible uses include printing out charts, diagrams, and pictures that show experiments taking place on the International Space Station.

 

Biomedical and Nanotechnology Tools and Programs: There are also some wonderful spinoffs of biomedical and nanotechnology that have been created for NASA. These might be focused on technology for growing cells or developing drugs within our bodies. We have learned so much about human growth and development over the past 50 years that the only thing holding us back from creating better humans is the current inability to replace old cells. This would give us amazing power in helping the human body grow more and stay healthy. Other possible applications for these tools might include drugs that fight cancer, treatments for common illnesses, and other medical breakthroughs.

 

Exploration and Settlement: Some spinoffs of the NASA budget and research might be directed towards space exploration and the human exploration of other worlds. There are currently many programs and projects going on all around the world to explore how to live in space and find other planets. These programs and missions are meant to create better knowledge and understanding about our universe. There are also plans to send people to Mars and the moon in the next 20 years or so.

 

Spinoffs of technologies from NASA are beneficial to the general public and to future space travelers. The public greatly benefits from the research and technology that NASA develops. These new technologies to help make the job of astronauts much easier and therefore make our lives a lot easier as well. More expensive and complicated technologies can take a lot of the load off of NASA astronauts. It is great to know that the space pen and other JPL technology are going to be used by our future astronauts.