Big Deal.  Where's the flying car I was promised 40 years ago?

-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Cummings [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 12:51 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] Shuttle Columbia problem


Boondoggle?

The next time  you doubting listers needs an MRI, CAT scan, kidney dialysis
or have heart problems, tell your doctor you would like to pass on using one
of these life saving technologies since the technology is worthless and
wasn't worth discovering.

There have been more than 1,300 documented NASA technologies have benefited
U.S. industry / medical community.  Here are just a few:

APOLLO'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO AMERICA

Every day, in a variety of ways, American lives are touched by space
technology. Since 1976, about 1,300 documented NASA technologies have
benefited U.S. industry, improved the quality of life and created jobs for
Americans. The Apollo program is responsible for changing the way of life in
America, especially in health care. Here are some of the contributions of
the Apollo program:

ï CAT Scanners and MRI technology (Computer-Aided Tomography and Magnetic
Resonance Imaging) used in hospitals worldwide, came from technology
developed to computer-enhance pictures of the moon for the Apollo program.

ï As a medical CAT scanner searches the human body for tumors or other
abnormalities, the industrial version, or advanced computed tomography
inspection system, finds imperfections in aerospace structures and
components, such as castings, rocket motors and nozzles.

ï Cool suits, which kept Apollo astronauts comfortable during moon walks,
are today worn by race car drivers, nuclear reactor technicians, shipyard
workers, people with multiple sclerosis and kids with a congenital disorder
known as hypohidrotic ectodermal displasia.


ï Kidney dialysis machines were developed as a result of a NASA developed
chemical process that could remove toxic waste from used dialysis fluid.

ï A cardiovascular conditioner developed for astronauts in space led to the
development of a physical therapy and athletic development machine used by
football teams, sports clinics and medical rehabilitation centers.

ï Cordless power tools and appliances are one of the most successful
commercial spin-offs of space-based technology.

ï Athletic shoe design and manufacture also benefited from Apollo. Space
suit technology is incorporated into a shoeís external shell. A stress free
"blow molding" process adapted from NASA space suit design is also used in
the shoeís manufacture.

ï Insulation barriers made of aluminum foil laid over a core of propylene or
mylar, which protected astronauts and their spacecraft's delicate
instruments from radiation, is used to protect cars and trucks and dampen
engine and exhaust noise.

ï Vacuum metallizing techniques led to an extensive line of commercial
products, from insulated outer garments to packaging for foods, from wall
coverings to window shades, from life rafts to candy wrappings and from
reflective blankets to photographic reflectors.

ï Water purification technology used on the Apollo spacecraft is now
employed in several spinoff applications to kill bacteria, viruses and algae
in community water supply systems and cooling towers. Filters mounted on
faucets can reduce lead in water supplies.

ï Freeze-dried food solved the problem of what to feed an astronaut on the
long-duration Apollo missions.

ï A hospital food service system employs a cook/chill concept for serving
food. The system allows staff to prepare food well in advance, maintain
heat, visual appeal and nutritional value while reducing operating costs.

ï A hollow retroreflector, a mirror-like instrument that reflects light and
other radiation back to the source, is used as a sensor to detect the
presence of hazardous gases in oil fields, refineries, offshore platforms,
chemical plants, waste storage sites and other locations where gases could
be released into the environment.

ï A process for bonding dry lubricant to space metals led to the development
of surface enhancement coatings, or synergistic coatings, which are used in
applications from pizza making to laser manufacture. Each coating is
designed to protect a specific metal group or group of metals to solve
problems encountered under operating conditions, such as resistance to
corrosion and wear.


SPINOFFS FROM THE SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM

NASA technology touches the lives of Americans everyday, in a variety of
ways. More than 1,300 documented NASA technologies have benefited U.S.
industry, improved our quality of life and created jobs for Americans. The
Space Shuttle program alone has generated more than 100 technology spinoffs.
Some of the Shuttle's contributions are:

ï Artificial Heart - The technology used in Space Shuttle fuel pumps led to
the development of a miniaturized ventricular assist pump by NASA and
renowned heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey. The tiny pump -- 2-inches long,
1-inch in diameter and weighing less than four ounces -- is currently
undergoing European clinical trials where it has been successfully implanted
into more than 20 people.

ï Automotive Insulation- Materials from the Space Shuttle thermal protection
system are used on NASCAR racing cars to protect drivers from the extreme
heat generated by the engines.

ï Balance Evaluation Systems - Devices built to measure the equilibrium of
Space Shuttle astronauts when they return from space are widely used by
major medical centers to diagnose and treat patients suffering head injury,
stroke, chronic dizziness and central nervous system disorders.

ï Bioreactor - Developed for Space Shuttle medical research, this rotating
cell culture apparatus simulates some aspects of the space environment, or
microgravity, on the ground. Tissue samples grown in the bioreactor are
being used to design therapeutic drugs and antibodies. Some scientists
believe the bioreactor will routinely produce human tissue for research and
transplantation.

ï Diagnostic Instrument - NASA technology was used to create a compact
laboratory instrument for hospitals and doctor offices that more quickly
analyzes blood, accomplishing in 30 seconds what once took 20 minutes.

ï Gas Detector - A gas leak detection system, originally developed to
monitor the Shuttle's hydrogen propulsion system, is being used by the Ford
Motor Company in the production of a natural gas-powered car.

ï Infrared Camera - A sensitive infrared hand-held camera that observes the
blazing plumes from the Shuttle also is capable of scanning for fires.
During the brush fires that ravaged Malibu, CA in 1996, the camera was used
to point out hot spots for firefighters.

ï Infrared Thermometer - Infrared sensors developed to remotely measure the
temperature of distant stars and planets, led to the development of the
hand-held optical sensor thermometer. Placed inside the ear canal, the
thermometer provides an accurate reading in two seconds or less.

ï Jewelry Design - Jewelers no longer have to worry about inhaling dangerous
asbestos fibers from the blocks they use as soldering bases. Space Shuttle
heat shield tiles offer jewelers a safer soldering base with temperature
resistance far beyond the 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit generated by the
jeweler's torch.

ï Land Mine Removal Device - The same rocket fuel that helps launch the
Space Shuttle is now being used to save lives - by destroying land mines. A
flare device, using leftover fuel donated by NASA, is placed next to the
uncovered land mine and is ignited from a safe distance using a
battery-triggered electric match. The explosive burns away, disabling the
mine and rendering it harmless.

ï Lifesaving Light - Special lighting technology developed for plant growth
experiments on Space Shuttle missions is now used to treat brain tumors in
children. Doctors at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee use light
emitting diodes in a treatment called photodynamic therapy, a form of
chemotherapy, to kill cancerous tumors.

ï Prosthesis Material - Responding to a request from the orthopedic
appliance industry, NASA recommended that the foam insulation used to
protect the Shuttle's external tank replace the heavy, fragile plaster used
to produce master molds for prosthetics. The new material is light,
virtually indestructible and easy to ship and store.

ï Rescue Tool - Rescue squads have a new extrication tool to help remove
accident victims from wrecked vehicles. The hand-held device requires no
auxiliary power systems or cumbersome hoses and is 70 percent cheaper than
previous rescue equipment. The cutter uses a miniature version of the
explosive charges that separate devices on the Shuttle.

ï Vehicle Tracking System - Tracking information originally used onboard
Space Shuttle missions now helps track vehicles on Earth. This commercial
spinoff allows vehicles to transmit a signal back to a home base.
Municipalities today use the software to track and reassign emergency and
public works vehicles. It also is used by vehicle fleet operations, such as
taxis, armored cars and vehicles carrying hazardous cargo.

ï Video Stabilization Software - Image-processing technology used to analyze
Space Shuttle launch video and to study meteorological images also helps law
enforcement agencies improve crime-solving video. The technology removes
defects due to image jitter, image rotation and image zoom in video
sequences. The technology also may be useful for medical imaging, scientific
applications and home video.

For more information on NASA Spinoffs, please refer to our web site at:

http://nctn.hq.nasa.gov/success/index.html

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