Space news and Exploration II

[Mr.Right]

1. all this innovation
2. The knowledge of our universe and what it is all about
3. The ability to save our own ass
4. Humanity spreading outwards and using all the resources of our universe.

Sounds like a science fiction novel. Lol. That sort of thing doesn't happen in real life.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Health and medicine[edit source | edit]
Infrared ear thermometers[edit source | edit]
Diatek Corporation and NASA developed an aural thermometer that measures the thermal radiation emitted by the eardrum, similar to the way the temperature of stars and planets is measured. This method avoids contact with mucous membranes, and permits rapid temperature measurement of newborn or incapacitated patients. NASA supported the Diatek Corporation through the Technology Affiliates Program.[9]

Ventricular assist device[edit source | edit]
Collaboration between NASA, Dr. Michael DeBakey, Dr. George Noon, and MicroMed Technology Inc. resulted in a heart pump for patients awaiting heart transplants. The MicroMed DeBakey ventricular assist device (VAD) functions as a “bridge to heart transplant” by pumping blood until a donor heart is available. The pump is approximately one-tenth the size of other currently marketed pulsatile VADs. Because of the pump’s small size, fewer patients developed device-related infections. It can operate up to 8 hours on batteries, giving patients the mobility to do normal, everyday activities.[10]

Artificial Limbs[edit source | edit]
NASA’s continued funding, coupled with its collective innovations in robotics and shock-absorption/comfort materials are inspiring and enabling the private sector to create new and better solutions for animal and human prostheses. Advancements such as Environmental Robots Inc.’s development of artificial muscle systems with robotic sensing and actuation capabilities for use in NASA space robotic and extravehicular activities are being adapted to create more functionally dynamic artificial limbs (Spinoff 2004). Additionally, other private-sector adaptations of NASA’s temper foam technology have brought about custom-moldable materials offering the natural look and feel of flesh, as well as preventing friction between the skin and the prosthesis, and heat/moisture buildup. (Spinoff 2005 url = http://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2008/tech_benefits.html

Light-emitting diodes in medical therapies[edit source | edit]
After initial experiments using light-emitting diodes in NASA space shuttle plant growth experiments, NASA issued a small business innovation grant that led to the development of a hand-held, high-intensity, LED unit developed by Quantum Devices Inc. that can be used to treat tumors after other treatment options are exhausted.[11]:10–11 This therapy was approved by the FDA and inducted into the Space Foundation's Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2000.

Invisible braces[edit source | edit]
Invisible braces are a type of transparent ceramics called translucent polycrystalline alumina (TPA). A company known as Ceradyne developed TPA in conjunction with NASA Advanced Ceramics Research as protection for infrared antennae on heat-seeking missile trackers. [12]

Scratch-resistant lenses[edit source | edit]
A sunglasses manufacturer called Foster Grant first licensed a NASA technology for scratch-resistant lenses, developed for protecting space equipment from scratching in space, especially helmet visors.[12]

Space blanket[edit source | edit]
So-called space blankets, developed in 1964, are lightweight and reflect infrared radiation. They are often included in first aid kits.

Transportation[edit source | edit]
Aircraft anti-icing systems[edit source | edit]

This ice-free airplane wing uses Thermawing's Aircraft Anti-Icing System, a NASA spin-off.
NASA funding under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and work with NASA scientists advanced the development of a thermoelectric deicing system called Thermawing, a DC-powered air conditioner for single-engine aircraft called Thermacool, and high-output alternators to run them both. Thermawing allows pilots to safely fly through ice encounters and provides pilots of single-engine aircraft the heated wing technology usually reserved for larger, jet-powered craft. Thermacool, an electric air conditioning system, uses a new compressor whose rotary pump design runs off an energy-efficient, brushless DC motor and allows pilots to use the air conditioner before the engine starts.[13]

Highway safety[edit source | edit]
Safety grooving, the cutting of grooves in concrete to increase traction and prevent injury, was first developed to reduce aircraft accidents on wet runways. Represented by the International Grooving and Grinding Association, the industry expanded into highway and pedestrian applications. Safety grooving originated at Langley Research Center, which assisted in testing the grooving at airports and on highways. Skidding was reduced, stopping distance decreased, and a vehicle’s cornering ability on curves was increased. The process has been extended to animal holding pens, parking lots, and other potentially slippery surfaces.[14]

Improved radial tires[edit source | edit]
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company developed a fibrous material, five times stronger than steel, for NASA to use in parachute shrouds to soft-land the Viking Lander spacecraft on the Martian surface. Recognizing the durability of the material, Goodyear expanded the technology and went on to produce a new radial tire with a tread life expected to be 10,000 miles (16,000 km) greater than conventional radials.[15]

Chemical detection[edit source | edit]
NASA contracted with Intelligent Optical Systems (IOS) to develop moisture- and pH-sensitive sensors to warn of corrosive conditions in aircraft before damage occurs. This sensor changes color in response to contact with its target. After completing the work with NASA, IOS was tasked by the U.S. Department of Defense to further develop the sensors for detecting chemical warfare agents and potential threats, such as toxic industrial compounds and nerve agents. IOS has sold the chemically sensitive fiber optic cables to major automotive and aerospace companies, who are finding a variety of uses for the devices such as aiding experimentation with nontraditional power sources, and as an economical “alarm system” for detecting chemical release in large facilities.[13]

Public safety[edit source | edit]
Video enhancing and analysis systems[edit source | edit]
Intergraph Government Solutions developed its Video Analyst System (VAS) by building on Video Image Stabilization and Registration (VISAR) technology created by NASA to help FBI agents analyze video footage. Originally used for enhancing video images from nighttime videotapes made with hand-held camcorders, VAS is a tool for video enhancement and analysis offering support of full-resolution digital video, stabilization, frame-by-frame analysis, conversion of analog video to digital storage formats, and increased visibility of filmed subjects without altering underlying footage. Aside from law enforcement and security applications, VAS has also been adapted to serve the military for reconnaissance, weapons deployment, damage assessment, training, and mission debriefing.[16]

Fire-resistant reinforcement[edit source | edit]
Built and designed by Avco Corporation, the Apollo heat shield was coated with a material whose purpose was to burn and thus dissipate energy during reentry while charring, to form a protective coating to block heat penetration. NASA subsequently funded Avco’s development of other applications of the heat shield, such as fire-retardant paints and foams for aircraft, which led to intumescent epoxy material, which expands in volume when exposed to heat or flames, acting as an insulating barrier and dissipating heat through burn-off. Further innovations include steel coatings devised to make high-rise buildings and public structures safer by swelling to provide a tough and stable insulating layer over the steel for up to 4 hours of fire protection, ultimately to slow building collapse and provide more time for escape.[17]

Firefighting equipment[edit source | edit]
Firefighting equipment in the United States is based on lightweight materials developed for the U.S. Space Program. NASA and the National Bureau of Standards created a lightweight breathing system including face mask, frame, harness, and air bottle, using an aluminum composite material developed by NASA for use on rocket casings. The broadest fire-related technology transfer is the breathing apparatus for protection from smoke inhalation injury. Additionally, NASA’s inductorless electronic circuit technology led to lower-cost, more rugged, short-range two-way radio now used by firefighters. NASA also helped develop a specialized mask weighing less than 3 ounces (85 g) to protect the physically impaired from injuries to the face and head, as well as flexible, heat-resistant materials—developed to protect the space shuttle on reentry—which are being used both by the military and commercially in suits for municipal and aircraft-rescue firefighters.[18][19][20][21]

Consumer, home, and recreation[edit source | edit]
Temper foam[edit source | edit]

Initially referred to as "slow spring back foam", temper foam matches pressure against it and slowly returns to its original form once the pressure is removed.
As the result of a program designed to develop a padding concept to improve crash protection for airplane passengers, Ames Research Center developed what is now called memory foam. Memory foam, or "Temper Foam", has been incorporated into mattresses, pillows, military and civilian aircraft, automobiles and motorcycles, sports safety equipment, amusement park rides and arenas, horseback saddles, archery targets, furniture, and human and animal prostheses. Its high-energy absorption and soft characteristics offer protection and comfort. Today, temper foam is being employed by NASCAR to provide added safety in racecars. Temper Foam was inducted into the Space Foundation Space Technology Hall of Fame in 1998.[10][11]:46–49[15][19][22][23][24]

Enriched baby food[edit source | edit]
Commercially available infant formulas now contain a nutritional enrichment ingredient that traces its existence to NASA-sponsored research on bread mold as a recycling agent for long-duration space travel. The substance, formulated into the products life’sDHA and life’sARA and based on microalgae, can be found in over 90% of the infant formulas sold in the United States, and are added to infant formulas in over 65 other countries. Martek Biosciences Corporation's founders and principal scientists acquired their expertise in this area while working on the NASA program. The microalgae food supplement was inducted into the Space Foundation Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2009.[25]

Portable cordless vacuums[edit source | edit]
For the Apollo space mission, NASA required a portable, self-contained drill capable of extracting core samples from below the lunar surface. Black & Decker was tasked with the job, and developed a computer program to optimize the design of the drill’s motor and ensure minimal power consumption. That computer program led to the development of a cordless miniature vacuum cleaner called the Dustbuster.[19]

Freeze drying[edit source | edit]
In planning for the long-duration Apollo missions, NASA conducted extensive research into space food. One of the techniques developed in 1938 by Nestlé was freeze drying. In the United States, Action Products later commercialized this technique for other foods, concentrating on snack food resulting in products like Space ice cream. The foods are cooked, quickly frozen, and then slowly heated in a vacuum chamber to remove the ice crystals formed by the freezing process. The final product retains 98%[citation needed] of its nutrition and weighs much less than before drying. The ratio of weight before and after drying depends strongly on the particular food item but a typical freeze-dried weight is 20% of the original weight. Today, one of the benefits of this advancement in food preservation includes simple nutritious meals available to handicapped and otherwise homebound senior adults unable to take advantage of existing meal programs.[18][26][27]

Environmental and agricultural resources[edit source | edit]

Water Security Corporation's Discovery Water Filtration System
Water purification[edit source | edit]
NASA engineers are collaborating with qualified companies to develop systems intended to sustain the astronauts living on the International Space Station and future Moon and space missions. This system turns wastewater from respiration, sweat, and urine into drinkable water. Commercially, this system is benefiting people all over the world who need affordable, clean water, especially in remote locations. By combining the benefits of chemical adsorption, ion exchange, and ultra-filtration processes, this technology can yield safe, drinkable water from the most challenging sources, such as in underdeveloped regions where well water may be heavily contaminated.[28][29]

Solar Cells[edit source | edit]
Single-crystal silicon solar cells are now widely available at low cost. The technology behind these solar devices—which provide up to 50% more power than conventional solar cells—originated with the efforts of a NASA-sponsored 28-member coalition forming the Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) Alliance. ERAST’s goal was to develop remotely piloted aircraft, intended to fly unmanned at high altitudes for days at a time and requiring advanced solar power sources that did not add weight. As a result, SunPower Corporation created advanced silicon-based cells for terrestrial or airborne applications.[11]:66–67

Pollution remediation[edit source | edit]
NASA’s microencapsulating technology enabled the creation of a "Petroleum Remediation Product," which safely cleans petroleum-based pollutants from water. The PRP uses thousands of microcapsules—tiny balls of beeswax with hollow centers. Water cannot penetrate the microcapsule’s cell, but oil is absorbed into the beeswax spheres as they float on the water’s surface. Contaminating chemical compounds that originally come from crude oil (such as fuels, motor oils, or petroleum hydrocarbons) are caught before they settle, limiting damage to ocean beds.[17][27]

Computer technology[edit source | edit]
Structural analysis software[edit source | edit]
NASA software engineers have created thousands of computer programs over the decades equipped to design, test, and analyze stress, vibration, and acoustical properties of a broad assortment of aerospace parts and structures. The NASA Structural Analysis Program, or NASTRAN, is considered one of the most successful and widely used NASA software programs. It has been used to design everything from Cadillacs to roller coaster rides. Originally created for spacecraft design, it has been employed in a host of non-aerospace applications and is available to industry through NASA’s Computer Software Management and Information Center (COSMIC). COSMIC maintains a library of computer programs from NASA and other government agencies and sells them at a fraction of the cost of developing a new program. NASA Structural Analysis Computer Software was inducted into the Space Foundation Space Technology Hall of Fame in 1988[9][15][18][19][20][22][23][24][26][30][31][32]

Remotely controlled ovens[edit source | edit]
Embedded Web Technology (EWT) software—originally developed by NASA for use by astronauts operating experiments on the International Space Station—lets a user monitor and/or control a device remotely over the Internet. NASA supplied this technology and guidance to TMIO LLC, which developed remote control and monitoring of a new intelligent oven product named “Connect Io.” With combined cooling and heating capabilities, Connect Io refrigerates food until a customized pre-programmable cooking cycle begins. The menu allows the user to simply enter the dinner time, and the oven automatically switches from refrigeration to the cooking cycle, so that the meal will be ready as the family arrives home for dinner.[11]

NASA Visualization Explorer[edit source | edit]
On July 26, 2011, NASA released the NASA Visualization Explorer app for the iPad. The application delivers real-time satellite data, including movies and stills, of Earth, that enable users to learn about subjects such as climate change, Earth's dynamic systems and plant life on land and in the oceans. The content is accompanied by short descriptions about the Data and why it is important.[33][34]

Space Race Blastoff[edit source | edit]
Although not technically a spinoff, NASA's first online game designed for social networks like Facebook. It is a trivia game that tests of their knowledge of NASA history, technology, science and pop culture.[35]

OpenStack[edit source | edit]
NASA developed a cloud compute platform to give additional compute and storage resources for its engineers, called Nebula. In July 2010, the Nebula code was released as open source and NASA partnered with Rackspace, to form the OpenStack project.[36] OpenStack is used in the cloud-based products from many companies in the cloud market.

Industrial productivity[edit source | edit]
Powdered lubricants[edit source | edit]

Oil-free coating PS300 (on these bushings) was created by Adma with NASA resources.
NASA developed a solid lubricant coating, PS300, which is deposited by thermal spraying to protect foil air bearings. PS300 lowers friction, reduces emissions, and has been used by NASA in advanced aeropropulsion engines, refrigeration compressors, turbochargers, and hybrid electrical turbogenerators. ADMA Products has found widespread industrial applications for the material.[11]

Improved mine safety[edit source | edit]
An ultrasonic bolt elongation monitor developed by a NASA scientist for testing tension and high-pressure loads on bolts and fasteners has continued to evolve over the past three decades. Today, the same scientist and Luna Innovations are using a digital adaptation of this same device for destructive evaluation of railroad ties, groundwater analysis, radiation, and as a medical testing device to assess levels of internal swelling and pressure for patients suffering from intracranial pressure and compartment syndrome, a painful condition that results when pressure within muscles builds to dangerous levels.[11][18]

 

[eots]

Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition
3.Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to

69. You could afford your ship without your government - if it weren't for your government

 

[ScienceRocks]

Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition
3.Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to

69. You could afford your ship without your government - if it weren't for your government

LOL...None of this shit would of likely been developed if it wasn't for nasa. We wouldn't know 1/10th about our universe if it wasn't for nasa. I could care less about the worthless effin Ferengi...Greedy bastards.

 

[Mr.Right]

Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition
3.Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to

69. You could afford your ship without your government - if it weren't for your government

Exactly! NASA is not very efficient at what does. Do you have any idea how much money they waste?

 

[eots]

Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition
3.Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to

69. You could afford your ship without your government - if it weren't for your government

LOL...None of this shit would of likely been developed if it wasn't for nasa. We wouldn't know 1/10th about our universe if it wasn't for nasa. I could care less about the worthless effin Ferengi...Greedy bastards.

typical Vulcan..

 

[Mr.Right]

Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition
3.Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to

69. You could afford your ship without your government - if it weren't for your government

LOL...None of this shit would of likely been developed if it wasn't for nasa. We wouldn't know 1/10th about our universe if it wasn't for nasa. I could care less about the worthless effin Ferengi...Greedy bastards.

typical Vulcan..

Do a Google search on NASA waste. This is why private enterprise should handle things. They need to make a profit.

 

[Mr.Right]

Ferengi Rules Of Acquisition
3.Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to

69. You could afford your ship without your government - if it weren't for your government

LOL...None of this shit would of likely been developed if it wasn't for nasa. We wouldn't know 1/10th about our universe if it wasn't for nasa. I could care less about the worthless effin Ferengi...Greedy bastards.

typical Vulcan..

That's typical pointy eared Vulcan.

 

[ScienceRocks]

There's probably 5,000 extrasolar planets within 50 light years of here. Probably half a dozen planets that would be nice replacements for a generation ship if something happened to our earth.

Tell me, mr....How that isn't worth understanding.

 

[Mr.Right]

There's probably 5,000 extrasolar planets within 50 light years of here. Probably half a dozen planets that would be nice replacements for a generation ship if something happened to our earth.

Tell me, mr....How that isn't worth understanding.

Lol. Like I said. Science fiction. Never happen.

 

[ScienceRocks]

If you're pro civilization you'll support its goals. One of them is to advance knowledge and explore.

 

[Mr.Right]

If you're pro civilization you'll support its goals. One of them is to advance knowledge and explore.

I agree. but we need to do it on a budget. something NASA is incapable of doing. that's why it needs to be privatized.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Nasa rules!!! I doubt the dumb ass private sector would of mapped mars and found out all about our solar system.

We're a better species for having this knowledge.

NASA image: Seasonal flows in the central mountains of Hale Crater
21 minutes ago

Enlarge
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are active flows on warm Martian slopes that might be caused by seeping water. One of the most active sites known on Mars is in the central peaks (uplifted mountains of deep bedrock) of Hale Crater.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-04-image-seasonal-central-mountains-hale.html#jCp

 

[Mr.Right]

Nasa rules!!! I doubt the dumb ass private sector would of mapped mars and found out all about our solar system.

We're a better species for having this knowledge.

NASA image: Seasonal flows in the central mountains of Hale Crater
21 minutes ago

Enlarge
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are active flows on warm Martian slopes that might be caused by seeping water. One of the most active sites known on Mars is in the central peaks (uplifted mountains of deep bedrock) of Hale Crater.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-04-image-seasonal-central-mountains-hale.html#jCp

I'm sorry, but how does knowing anything about Mars benefit us?

 

[ScienceRocks]

Cosmic debris: Study looks inside the universe's most powerful explosions

A new study provides an inside look at the most powerful explosions in the universe: gamma-ray bursts.

These rare explosions happen when extremely massive stars go supernova. The stars' strong magnetic fields channel most of the explosion's energy into two powerful plasma jets, one at each magnetic pole. The jets spray energetic particles for light-years in both directions, at close to light speed.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-04-cosmic-debris-universe-powerful-explosions.html#jCp

 

[ScienceRocks]

150 billion cubic meters of water ice on Mars in glaciers covered by thick layer of

Mars has distinct polar ice caps, but Mars also has belts of glaciers at its central latitudes in both the southern and northern hemispheres. A thick layer of dust covers the glaciers, so they appear as surface of the ground, but radar measurements show that underneath the dust there are glaciers composed of frozen water.

 

[ScienceRocks]

space-x with the help of NASA!!! Getting into space would be 1/10th the price it is today if they're successful!

SpaceX will try landing its Falcon 9 rocket on a drone ship again on Monday

SpaceX is on a quest to get things into orbit and be less wasteful doing it. After a less than successful test a few months ago, Elon Musk’s private space firm is set to test its reusable Falcon 9 first stage on Monday, April 13th as it launches a new International Space Station resupply mission. SpaceX will attempt to land that first stage vertically on its “spaceport drone ship” in the Atlantic Ocean after seeing the Dragon capsule safely to orbit.

Most of the launch platforms developed thus far have relied upon at least one or two stages, which decouple from the payload during the assent and drop harmlessly into the ocean. It’s necessary for the launch vehicle to shed this dead weight on its way to orbit, but it would be nice if these stages could be refueled and sent up again rather than being smashed. That’s the goal of SpaceX’s reusable rocket.

SpaceX will try landing its Falcon 9 rocket on a drone ship again on Monday ExtremeTech

The first attempt did everything perfectly until the last 10 seconds when it ran out of fuel.

 

[ScienceRocks]

NASA projects to boost oxygen recovery from 50% to over 75% efficient for better life support systems
Next Big Future NASA projects to boost oxygen recovery from 50 to over 75 efficient for better life support systems

NASA has selected four partners to develop game changing technologies with the potential to increase the oxygen recovery rate aboard human spacecraft to at least 75 percent while achieving high reliability. These oxygen recovery and recycling technologies will drive exploration and enable our human journey to Mars and beyond.

"Improving oxygen recovery while achieving high reliability is critical for any long-duration human spaceflight missions where oxygen resupply from Earth isn't available," said NASA Associate Administrator for Space Technology Michael Gazarik. "NASA recognizes that sustained technology investments must be made to mature the capabilities required to reach the challenging destinations that await exploration; such as cis-lunar space, an asteroid, and Mars. These ambitious projects will enable the critical life support systems needed for us to venture further into space and explore the high frontier and are another example of how technology drives exploration."

 

[ScienceRocks]

At least ten planets, moons and dwarf planets have liquid oceans in our solar system and they likely have at least microbial life

Next Big Future At least ten planets moons and dwarf planets have liquid oceans in our solar system and they likely have at least microbial life
NASA has found many moons and dwarf planets with life-sustaining liquid water.

At least ten planets, moons and dwarf planets have liquid oceans in our solar system and there is frozen water ice on the moon, Mars and all over the asteroids and other moons.

NASA spacecraft have also found signs of water in permanently shadowed craters on Mercury and our moon, which hold a record of icy impacts across the ages like cryogenic keepsakes.
Speaking at a public panel on Tuesday in Washington D.C., NASA scientists discussed the likelihood of finding organic life in our solar system. Given the surprising number of oceans residing throughout our celestial home, they say "it's definitely not an if, it's a when."

NASA researchers say these revelations upend the earlier idea that, to find life, we need to look for planets within stars’ “habitable zones.” That theory suggests that in order for a space rock to harbor life, it needs to be at a certain "perfect" distance from a warm body (like Earth is from our sun). That way, the temperature is just right so that water can exist on the planet in liquid form.

But on Europa, liquid water exists even though the frigid moon is more than 400 million miles away from our star. It’s because the gravitational pull from Jupiter jerks the satellite around, causing enough friction and energy to heat up the liquid beneath the surface. Thus, the moon's water can remain as a liquid when it's so far from a light source.

"We now recognize that habitable zones are not just around stars, they can be around giant planets too," Green said. "We are finding out the solar system is really a soggy place."

 

[ScienceRocks]

An exoplanet with an infernal atmosphere
2 hours ago

As part of the PlanetS National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), astronomers from the Universities of Geneva (UNIGE) and Bern, Switzerland, have come to measure the temperature of the atmosphere of an exoplanet with unequalled precision, by crossing two approaches.

The first approach is based on the HARPS spectrometer and the second consists of a new way of interpreting sodium lines. From these two additional analyses, researchers have been able to conclude that the HD189733b exoplanet is showing infernal atmospheric conditions: wind speeds of more than 1000 kilometres per hour, and the temperature being 3000 degrees. These results open up perspectives to approach the study of exoplanet atmospheres. They were published in two journals, Astronomy & Astrophysics and Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-04-exoplanet-infernal-atmosphere.html#jCp

And we thought Venus was hell?