US to Return to Moon

[Iceweasel]

Most of the NASA program and a parallel ocean exploration/colonization program would be trivial compared tot he pork and entitlement spending.

While the return on spin off technology would grow our economy and technological capabilities exponentially.

Penny short, dollar foolish.

Rather than engaging in rhetoric explain what exactly you are referring to. Your argument is a better one for reducing entitlements than it is for unquestioned funding for government agencies.

 

[JimBowie1958]

The greatest times in history is when great nations explored and promoted infrastructure, science and tech.

They increased their economy
They advanced idea's
and life was better for all.

One of the weaknesses is war. normally killing and destroying the nations ability to do the above.

Guess what party wants that? The republicans. Exploring space means resources that are infite and the kind of growth we need to help everyone on earth.

I think BOTH parties voted for war and BOTH parties leadership are proven to want more pork and less science.

Funding science is not a favored form of pork in both parties.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Most of the NASA program and a parallel ocean exploration/colonization program would be trivial compared tot he pork and entitlement spending.

While the return on spin off technology would grow our economy and technological capabilities exponentially.

Penny short, dollar foolish.

Rather than engaging in rhetoric explain what exactly you are referring to. Your argument is a better one for reducing entitlements than it is for unquestioned funding for government agencies.

10 NASA Inventions You Might Use Every Day : Discovery Channel

Although most people today will never set foot on the moon, everyone likely comes in contact with a NASA by-product every day. Partnering with various research teams and companies, NASA continues to spawn a vast array of new technologies and products that have improved our daily lives. Basic steps in health, safety, communications and even casual entertainment find their ro*ots in the government branch commonly associated with rocket ships and floating people. In fact, NASA has filed more than 6,300 patents with the U.S. government [source: NASA Scientific and Technical Information].

Each year since 1976, NASA has published a list of every commercialized technology and product linked to its research. The NASA journal "Spinoff" highlights these products, which have included things like improved pacemakers, state of the art exercise machines and satellite radio. Each product was made possible thanks to a NASA idea or innovation.

5. Long-distance Telecommunications

The ability to carry on long-distance telephone conversations did *not happen overnight. It doesn't link back to one specific NASA invention -- improved telecommunication took place over decades of work.

Before humans were sent into space, NASA built satellites that could communicate with people on the ground about what outer space was like. Using similar satellite technology, around 200 communication satellites orbit the globe each day. These satellites send and receive messages that allow us to call our friends in Beijing when we're in Boston. NASA monitors the locations and health of many of these satellites to ensure that we can continue to talk to people around the corner or overseas.

4. Adjustable Smoke Detector

Where there's smoke, there's fire. NASA engineers knew that simple fact when they were designing Skylab in the 1970s. Skylab was the first U.S. space station, and the astronauts would need to know if a fire had started or if noxious gases were loose in the vehicle. Teaming up with Honeywell Corporation, NASA invented the first adjustable smoke detector with different sensitivity levels to prevent false alarms.

You can read about smoke detectors in more detail in How Smoke Detectors Work, but the first one to hit the consumer market is called the ionization smoke detector. That essentially means that it uses a radioactive element called americium-241 to spot smoke or harmful gasses. When clean air particles of oxygen and nitrogen move through smoke detectors, the americium-241 ionizes them, which creates an electrical current. If foreign smoke particles enter the smoke detector, it disrupts that interaction, triggering the alarm.

3. Safety Grooving

Carving a gro*ove into concrete may not sound like much of an innovation, but it certainly keeps us safe on the roads. Also called safety grooving, this simple, yet lifesaving, process inserts long, shallow channels into pavement on runways and roads. These indentions in the concrete divert excess water from the surface to reduce the amount of water between tires and the runway or road. This increases the friction between wheels and concrete, improving vehicle safety.

Safety grooving was first experimented with at NASA's Langely Research Center in the 1960s as a way to improve safety for aircraft taking off on wet runways. Once people realized how well it worked, transportation engineers began applying the same techniques to highways. According to NASA, safety grooving has reduced highway accidents by 85 percent [source: NASA]. Cars hydroplane when water between tires and the road actually separates the two from each other.

2. Cordless Tools

When you're sucking up bits of dirt or crumbs around the house with a handheld cordless vacuum, you are actually using the same technology that astronauts used on the moon. Although Black & Decker had already invented the first battery-powered tools in 1961 [source: NASA], the NASA-related research helped refine the technology that led to lightweight, cordless medical instruments, hand-held vacuum cleaners and other tools.

In the mid-1960s, to prepare for the Apollo missions to the moon, NASA needed a tool that astronauts could use to obtain samples of rocks and soil. The drill had to be lightweight, compact and powerful enough to dig deep into the surface of the moon. Since rigging up a cord to a drill in outer space would be a difficult feat, NASA and Black & Decker invented a battery-powered, magnet-motor drill [source: NASA Science and Technology Information]. Working in the context of a limited space environment, Black & Decker developed a computer program for the tool that reduced the amount of power expended during use to maximize battery life.

After the NASA project, Black & Decker applied the same principles to make other lightweight, battery-powered tools for everyday consumers.

2. Cordless Tools

When you're sucking up bits of dirt or crumbs around the house with a handheld cordless vacuum, you are actually using the same technology that astronauts used on the moon. Although Black & Decker had already invented the first battery-powered tools in 1961 [source: NASA], the NASA-related research helped refine the technology that led to lightweight, cordless medical instruments, hand-held vacuum cleaners and other tools.

In the mid-1960s, to prepare for the Apollo missions to the moon, NASA needed a tool that astronauts could use to obtain samples of rocks and soil. The drill had to be lightweight, compact and powerful enough to dig deep into the surface of the moon. Since rigging up a cord to a drill in outer space would be a difficult feat, NASA and Black & Decker invented a battery-powered, magnet-motor drill [source: NASA Science and Technology Information]. Working in the context of a limited space environment, Black & Decker developed a computer program for the tool that reduced the amount of power expended during use to maximize battery life.

After the NASA project, Black & Decker applied the same principles to make other lightweight, battery-powered tools for everyday consumers.

Just these few inventions alone have saved hundreds of thousands of lives and improved our lives and health.

 

[JimBowie1958]

More NASA spin offs:

Technology Spin-offs - The Space Race

Freeze-Dried Food

Humans need food, and astronauts in space are no exception. To keep food fresh that would feed the astronauts, NASA adopted the practice of freeze-drying food. Previously, the technology had been "developed originally for preserving plasma during World War II."[3] This process proved effective on food and allowed for extended manned space flights such as the Apollo flights. In the process, the food is frozen and then most of the moisture is removed from the frozen object. The moisture is removed by sublimation; it turns into a vapor before a liquid. The process works best on liquids, thin slices of meat, and small objects like peas.[2]

Athletic Shoes

Technology originally developed for the boots worn on the moon, has now been applied toImage taken from NIKE athletic shoes in the mid-sole section. The technology improves shock absorption, stability, and motion control. The sneaker industry has also used this technology to try to brainwash consumers into believing they need this commodity, creating a social spin-off of its own.

CAT & MRI Technologies

The entire purpose of the early Apollo missions was to choose a suitable landing ground for the first man on the moon. To do this, they needed technology that could photograph the moon's surface. NASA created this technology, and from it scientists developed Computer-Aided Topography (CAT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technologies. Today, CAT scanners and MRIs are used in hospitals world-wide.....

 

[Iceweasel]

Just these few inventions alone have saved hundreds of thousands of lives and improved our lives and health.

You need to read the posts if you are going to respond to them. Go back up and read slower.

 

[Sallow]

US ready to return to moon - Telegraph

America is preparing to land a robot on the moon for the first time in four decades.

Nasa is looking for private partners to participate in the project that will see a new generation of rovers wandering across the moon’s surface.

The American space agency has set up a programme called Catalyst to exploit commercial opportunities offered by the moon.

It believes that eventually there will be a market for commercial cargo trips to the lunar surface.

Cool beans.

We should build a moonbase.

 

[JimBowie1958]

NASA Spinoff Homepage

What is the difference between a “NASA spinoff” and a “NASA success"?

A spinoff is a commercialized product that incorporates NASA technology or NASA "know how" and benefits the public, while a success is a NASA technology that is not available on the market but still yields benefits to the public. For example, a NASA technology that was used to restore valuable artwork that was damaged in a fire is considered a “success” because it is not available for sale on the commercial market. You can learn more about NASA successes in the “Partnership Successes” chapter in each issue of Spinoff.

Back to Top

How does NASA's Tech Briefs publication differ from Spinoff ?

Tech Briefs, a monthly publication, lists licensing opportunities available through NASA, whereas Spinoff, an annual publication, features stories on companies that have successfully commercialized NASA technology. Tech Briefs is written for the scientific and technical community, and Spinoff is written for the general public.



Did NASA invent the ever-popular memory foam found in many consumer applications?

Memory foam, also known as temper foam, was developed under a NASA contract in the 1970s that set out to improve seat cushioning and crash protection for airline pilots and passengers. Memory foam has widespread commercial applications, in addition to the popular mattresses and pillows. For the latest Spinoff article, click here.




Did NASA invent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)?

No, NASA did not invent MRI technology, but it has contributed to its advances over the years, and elements of NASA technology have been incorporated into MRI techniques. In the mid-1960s, as a prelude to NASA’s Apollo Lunar Landing Program, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory developed the technology known as digital image processing to allow computer enhancement of Moon pictures. Digital image processing has found a broad array of other applications, particularly in the field of medicine, where it is employed to create and enhance images of the organs in the human body for diagnostic purposes. Two of these advanced body imaging techniques are CT or CATScan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).




Did NASA invent cordless power tools?

No. The first cordless power tool was unveiled by Black & Decker in 1961. In the mid-1960s, Martin Marietta Corporation contracted with Black & Decker to design tools for NASA. The tool company developed a zero-impact wrench for the Gemini project that spun bolts in zero gravity without spinning the astronaut. Black & Decker also designed a cordless rotary hammer drill for the Apollo moon program. The drill was used to extract rock samples from the surface of the moon and could operate at extreme temperatures and in zero-atmosphere conditions. Before the zero-impact wrench and rotary hammer drill could go into space, they needed to be tested in anti-gravity conditions. Black & Decker and NASA tested the tools either under water or in transport planes that would climb to the highest possible altitude and then nosedive to simulate anti-gravity conditions. As a result of this work, Black & Decker created several spinoffs, including cordless lightweight battery powered precision medical instruments and a cordless miniature vacuum cleaner called the Dustbuster, but cordless power tools predate the Space Agency’s involvement with the company.




Did NASA invent barcodes, quartz clocks, or smoke detectors?

Barcodes were not invented by NASA. NASA developed a special type of barcode for inventory of space shuttle and other space system components that could endure harsh environments, but this should not be mistakened for the original barcode. Similarly, NASA was not the first to use quartz as a piezoelectric material for timekeeping. The first quartz clock dates back to 1927. However in the late 1960s, NASA partnered with a company to make a highly accurate quartz clock. This clock was on the market for a few years but is no longer available. Further, NASA did not invent the smoke detector. NASA’s connection to the modern smoke detector is that it made one with adjustable sensitivity as part of the Skylab project. The device was made commercially available by Honeywell. The consumer could use it to avoid “nuisance” alarms while cooking. Like the quartz clock, this device is no longer available.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Just these few inventions alone have saved hundreds of thousands of lives and improved our lives and health.

You need to read the posts if you are going to respond to them. Go back up and read slower.

Or you could be clear and state exactly what you mean.

If you concede that NASA has benefitted us with all these spin off technologies, then why are you debating the issue?

 

[JimBowie1958]

US ready to return to moon - Telegraph

America is preparing to land a robot on the moon for the first time in four decades.

Nasa is looking for private partners to participate in the project that will see a new generation of rovers wandering across the moon’s surface.

The American space agency has set up a programme called Catalyst to exploit commercial opportunities offered by the moon.

It believes that eventually there will be a market for commercial cargo trips to the lunar surface.

Cool beans.

We should build a moonbase.

Why not? The Freemasons already have one on the far side of the moon, lol.

/jk

 

[ScienceRocks]

I think we should terra-form Mars and figure out ways to do the same to venus. More resources for finding another earth like planet outside of our solar system.

This would show humans as a species that are serious about long term survival.

 

[ScienceRocks]

1. metal and resources should be taken advantage of.
2. Full on to terra forming mars and venus. I don't think Venus is impossible.
3. More money for extrasolar planet satellites.

This is the 3 steps for Advancing humanity.

 

[JimBowie1958]

1. metal and resources should be taken advantage of.
2. Full on to terra forming mars and venus. I don't think Venus is impossible.
3. More money for extrasolar planet satellites.

This is the 3 steps for Advancing humanity.

Only if you are going to overlook moral, bureaucratic and social advances, but yeah, that is the basic layout for tech/industrial advances.

 

[Iceweasel]

Or you could be clear and state exactly what you mean.

If you concede that NASA has benefitted us with all these spin off technologies, then why are you debating the issue?

I did. Apparently you can't read. I don't need to concede anything because I didn't make your idiotic point. I called for fiscal responsibility and not just for your wet dream. If you truly have no concept of fiscal responsibility then go look it up, I'm not being paid to tutor you.

Benefits from scientific research do not automatically mean that we should fund anything that comes along. Especially a very expensive lunar endevour. I don't know if you suffer from extreme cognisant dissonance or are just really dense.

 

[dblack]

1. metal and resources should be taken advantage of.
2. Full on to terra forming mars and venus. I don't think Venus is impossible.
3. More money for extrasolar planet satellites.

This is the 3 steps for Advancing humanity.

Are you willing to resort to violence to achieve those goals?

 

[Old Rocks]

1. metal and resources should be taken advantage of.
2. Full on to terra forming mars and venus. I don't think Venus is impossible.
3. More money for extrasolar planet satellites.

This is the 3 steps for Advancing humanity.

Are you willing to resort to violence to achieve those goals?

Now talk about an out of context comment!

And just how does violence advance R and D? And why would violence lead to space exploration? What kind of nonsense are you pushing?

 

[Old Rocks]

Or you could be clear and state exactly what you mean.

If you concede that NASA has benefitted us with all these spin off technologies, then why are you debating the issue?

I did. Apparently you can't read. I don't need to concede anything because I didn't make your idiotic point. I called for fiscal responsibility and not just for your wet dream. If you truly have no concept of fiscal responsibility then go look it up, I'm not being paid to tutor you.

Benefits from scientific research do not automatically mean that we should fund anything that comes along. Especially a very expensive lunar endevour. I don't know if you suffer from extreme cognisant dissonance or are just really dense.

Nice flap-yap for defund everything. R and D, exploration have always paid off for this nation. Funneling money to the top 1% has done the opposite.

 

[Sallow]

US ready to return to moon - Telegraph



Cool beans.

We should build a moonbase.

Why not? The Freemasons already have one on the far side of the moon, lol.

/jk

You're wrong.

It's Nazis.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py_IndUbcxc]Iron Sky Official Theatrical Trailer [HD] - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Iceweasel]

Nice flap-yap for defund everything. R and D, exploration have always paid off for this nation. Funneling money to the top 1% has done the opposite.

You can't read either. I said nothing about the top percent. And look up Solyndra for one example, R&D doesn't not always pay off. You can't articulate what exactly we would gain from a lunar base so you attack the 1%? WTF?

 

[Delta4Embassy]

1. metal and resources should be taken advantage of.
2. Full on to terra forming mars and venus. I don't think Venus is impossible.
3. More money for extrasolar planet satellites.

This is the 3 steps for Advancing humanity.

Read proposed methods of terraforming Venus 30 years ago using blue-green algae. So I tend to think it's possible. I think though, given the temperature and enviroment, it'd be more about making it less toxic to human life so we can exploit resources than actually move in like. Mars is more likely for settlement.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

US ready to return to moon - Telegraph



Cool beans.

We should build a moonbase.

Why not? The Freemasons already have one on the far side of the moon, lol.

/jk

You know of course there is no far-side and the Moon is in fact rotating? It's just that its rotation is closely synced with Earth's so it seems like it isn't.