Mission to Mars

Pretty cool that a student, Adam Steltzner, who made F+ in geometry is one of the lead scientists for the NASA Mars rover mission.  Wonderful that his ingenuity prevailed over his disinterest in geometry!  My mom thinks all space exploration is a waste of money.  "A rich man's playhouse is all it is", says Mary.  "Nothing has ever come from all that wasted money."

I like Corning ware.  But there are over 1500 applications noted in a 2010 article you can access at the following website:  http://suite101.com/article/practical-applications-of-space-technology-a98927

NASA Spinoffs with Practical Applications

Under the Space Act of 1958, NASA has had a mandate to share all the information it has gained with the public. Here are a few of the practical applications that have resulted from technologies and information learned by space scientists:

CAT scans

MRIs

Kidney dialysis machines

Heart defibrillator technology

Remote robotic surgery

Artificial heart pump technology

Physical therapy machines

Positron emission tomography

Microwave receivers used in scans for breast cancer

Cardiac angiography

Monitoring neutron activity in the brain

Cleaning techniques for hospital operating rooms

Portable x-ray technology for neonatal offices and 3rd world countries

Freeze-dried food

Water purification filters

ATM technology

Pay at the Pump satellite technology

Athletic shoe manufacturing technique

Insulation barriers for autos

Image-processing software for crash-testing automobiles

Holographic testing of communications antennas

Low-noise receivers

Cordless tools

A computer language used by businesses such as car repair shops, Kodak, hand-held computers, express mail

Aerial reconnaissance and Earth resources mapping

Airport baggage scanners

Distinction between natural space objects and satellites/warheads/rockets for defense

Satellite monitors for nuclear detonations

Hazardous gas sensors

Precision navigation

Clock synchronization

Ballistic missile guidance

Secure communications

Study of ozone depletion

Climate change studies

Monitoring of Earth-based storms such as hurricanes

Solar collectors

Fusion reactors

Space-age fabrics for divers, swimmers, hazardous material workers, and others

Teflon-coated fiberglass for roofing material

Lightweight breathing system used by firefighters

Atomic oxygen facility for removing unwanted material from 19th century paintings

FDA-adopted food safety program that has reduced salmonella cases by a factor of 2

Multispectral imaging methods used to read ancient Roman manuscripts buried by Mt. Vesuvius

    Pretty sure I'll never get much further than to the boundaries of the US and Canada.  I salute the dreamers, schemers and all the folks who worked on such a fascinating project!  An I am a sucker for guys with a pompadour!  Congratulations to NASA on the latest successful Mission to Mars.

Adam Steltzner

The team celebrating success!