Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Spacesuit Materials Add Comfort to Undergarments

NASA Technology

“Life’s too short to wear average underwear,” says Mo Moorman, the director of public relations at Jockey International. By “average underwear,” Moorman...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Gigapixel Images Connect Sports Teams with Fans

NASA Technology

NASA’s twin Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, remain one of the Agency’s greatest achievements in exploration. On Earth, these robots are best known for...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Satellite Maps Deliver More Realistic Gaming

NASA Technology

In June 2009, NASA launched Terra, the flagship of NASA’s Earth Observing System, which studies a sweeping set of the planet’s characteristics. Included in the...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Do-It-Yourself Additives Recharge Auto Air Conditioning

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Even though it drops to -279 °F at night and dips to -400 °F inside its deepest craters, the Moon can reach a scorching 260 °F...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Nanomaterials Transform Hairstyling Tools

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Dr. Dennis Morrison, a former scientist at Johnson Space Center, spent part of his 34-year career with NASA performing research on...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Lightweight Material Patches Allow for Quick Repairs

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Here on Earth, if your sink springs a leak, you can call in a plumber, or if you’re handy, you can head out to the local hardware...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Image Sensors Enhance Camera Technologies

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Buzz Aldrin standing on the stark surface of the Moon. The towering gas pillars of the Eagle Nebula. The rocky, rust-colored expanses of Mars....

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Aerogels Insulate Against Extreme Temperatures

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

“When you hold a piece of silica aerogel, it feels otherworldly. If you drop it on a table top, it has an acoustic ring to it. It sounds...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

LED Systems Target Plant Growth

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Living in space long term will require a sustainable environment. Plants provide fresh food, clean air, and clean water that will assist this effort, but...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Control Algorithms Charge Batteries Faster

NASA Technology

On March 29, 2011, NASA’s Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft beamed a milestone image to Earth: the first photo of...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Software Programs Derive Measurements from Photographs

NASA Technology

Even under the most unfortunate circumstances, NASA continues on a path of innovation. After the Space Shuttle Columbia reentered the atmosphere on February...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Retrofits Convert Gas Vehicles into Hybrids

NASA Technology

Successful space missions can rarely be attributed to a single thing. Rather, they are the result of a system of systems: integrated elements functioning effectively in...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

NASA Missions Inspire Online Video Games

NASA Technology

Fast forward to 2035. Imagine being part of a community of astronauts living and working on the Moon. Suddenly, in the middle of just another day in space, a meteorite...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Monitors Track Vital Signs for Fitness and Safety

NASA Technology

Have you ever felt nauseous reading a book in the back seat of a car? Or woken from a deep sleep feeling disoriented, unsure which way is up? Momentary mixups...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Thermal Components Boost Performance of HVAC Systems

NASA Technology

As the International Space Station (ISS) travels 17,500 miles per hour, normal is having a constant sensation of free-falling. Normal is no rain, but an...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Modern Exploration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

One of the forces that propels scientific and cultural advancement is exploration. The mission of NASA is to pioneer the future of...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Forecasting Tools Point to Fishing Hotspots

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Sport fishing is an uncertain pastime. Some days the fish are biting; others, not. But for captains of charter fishing boats and recreational...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Air Purifiers Eliminate Pathogens, Preserve Food

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

In order for NASA astronauts to explore the solar system, they will need to travel not just as pioneers but as settlers, learning to live...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Fabrics Protect Sensitive Skin from UV Rays

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Beginning in 1968, NASA began researching garments to help astronauts stay cool. The Agency designed the Apollo space suits to use...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Phase Change Fabrics Control Temperature

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Since designing the first space suits in the 1950s, NASA has been interested in developing materials to keep astronauts comfortable and cool. In...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Tiny Devices Project Sharp, Colorful Images Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Johnson Space Center, NASA’s center for the design of systems for human space flight, began developing...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Aerogels Insulate Missions and Consumer Products

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Recently, NASA’s Stardust mission used a block of aerogel to catch high-speed comet particles and specks of...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Space Research Fortifies Nutrition Worldwide

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

In addition to the mammoth engineering challenge posed by launching a cargo-laden craft into space for a long-distance...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Outboard Motor Maximizes Power and Dependability

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Developed by Jonathan Lee, a structural materials engineer at Marshall Space Flight Center, and PoShou Chen, a scientist...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Historic Partnership Captures Our Imagination

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Timeless, beautiful, and haunting images: A delicate blue marble floating in the black sea of space; a brilliant white...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Immersive Photography Renders 360º Views

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

NASA uses 3-D immersive photography and video for guiding space robots, in the space shuttle and International Space Station...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Space Age Swimsuit Reduces Drag, Breaks Records

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

A space shuttle and a competitive swimmer have a lot more in common than people might realize: Among other forces, both...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Experiments Advance Gardening at Home and in Space

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

Aeroponics, the process of growing plants suspended in air without soil or media, provides clean, efficient, and rapid...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Mars Cameras Make Panoramic Photography a Snap

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

If you wish to explore a Martian landscape without leaving your armchair, a few simple clicks around the NASA Web site will...

Spinoff: Consumer, Home, and Recreation

Wireless Fluid-Level Measurement System Equips Boat Owners

Originating Technology/NASA Contribution

While developing a measurement acquisition system to be used to retrofit aging aircraft with vehicle health...