50 ways NASA technology changed your life

NASA’s yearly Spinoff publication was recently released, celebrating the agency’s 50th anniversary with 50 ways their technology is used in everyday life. The publication featured a timeline of various day-to-day commercial innovations which draw from NASA technology. Health care, transport, public safety, transportation, computer technology and environmental protection are just some of the fields where NASA advancements spurred commercial spin-offs.

“The results of NASA research and technology are all around us, providing benefits to many aspects of our daily lives and well-being,” said NASA’s Deputy Administrator Shana Dale.

Some of the listed technologies include:

- Advanced polymer coatings for implantable devices to help avert heart failure
- Robotic technology used for minimally invasive knee surgery
- Space suit-derived textiles to help protect firefighters and race car drivers
- Drag reduction research applied to record-breaking swimsuit development
- Astronaut food supplements in worldwide use to improve baby formula
- Carbon nanomesh technology applied to filtering safe drinking water
- Rocket engine valve technology reducing emissions for power generation.

NASA