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Today, we will explore some of the incredible innovations that were developed for use in space but now help us in our daily lives. In the early 1960s, engineers at the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Langley Research Center needed to find a way to prevent space shuttles from skidding upon landing after their return flight from space. To improve safety, NASA created grooved pavement on runways. Today, grooves are added to highways, exit ramps, airport runways, and other surfaces to increase traction preventing countless accidents, especially during wet weather. If you are enjoying this show from the comfort of your bed, you may be lying on top of space technology right now – memory foam mattresses! Some of these uses include mattresses, pillows, furniture, shoe cushioning, the interior of American football helmets, and seating for amusement park rides and movie theatres. Have you ever stocked up on vegan freeze-dried foods in case there is a power outage or natural disaster? NASA helped to develop many of the modern freeze-drying techniques in preparation for the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s. The process involves freezing fully prepared food at minus 40 degrees Celsius and then putting it into a vacuum chamber to remove the ice crystals. The end result is a lightweight dried food product that does not need chemical preservatives, retains 98 percent of its nutritional value, tastes great when rehydrated, and can have a shelf life of up to 25 years. Today, a wide range of freeze-dried vegan foods are available, including fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, coffee, soups and stews, snacks, hiking food, animal-people food, and more. This same freeze-drying technique is also used in the pharmaceutical industry, where it provides a long-term shelf life to life-saving medications. One of the most important resources for astronauts in space is clean water, and NASA engineering has enabled astronauts onboard the International Space Station to recycle up to 98 percent of the water they used for drinking and food preparation. One company that uses NASA filtration technology is ÖKO, which can provide the user with instant potable water from many sources, including lakes and streams. Other technology that was originally developed for and now contributes to our modern world includes infrared Earth thermometers, scratch-resistant lenses, shock absorbers on buildings and bridges, invisible braces, LED lighting, artificial limbs, and many more. NASA has invented over 2,000 space technologies that have become commercially available since 1976.
