New Spinoff Publication Shares How NASA Innovations Benefit Life on Earth
March 19, 2020 | NASA JPLEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
As NASA pushes the frontiers of science and human exploration, the agency also advances technology to modernize life on Earth, including drones, self-driving cars and other innovations.
"NASA engineers, scientists and technologists innovate the tools we need for the Artemis missions to the Moon and exploration beyond, but our mission also is here on Earth," said Jim Reuter, associate administrator of the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). "Whether it's a new application for a technology created for space or our extensive work to modernize and innovate aeronautics, our work has had immense benefits for all kinds of transportation technology on Earth - not to mention in the realms of medicine, the environment and public safety."
In this issue of Spinoff, readers will learn how:
- The technology behind NASA-JPL's Mars helicopter—which will ride aboard the agency's Perseverance Mars rover when it launches this summer—also has aided the design of a rugged drone farmers use to survey land and maximize crop yields.
- A methanol-based fuel cell, developed with JPL engineering know-how, is being adopted by the oil and gas industry to mitigate emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, during the drilling process.
- Metallic glass, which has been developed by JPL over decades, is now used in a coating that helps power plants avoid emergency shutdowns, saving millions of dollars in operating costs.
- The need for greater bandwidth for space communications has spurred the development of low-cost, ultra-fast pulsed laser technology. Supported by JPL collaborations, this technology has gone on to support research by Nobel Prize-winning scientists.
- JPL helped fund a simulation of a highly efficient computer communication protocol for potential use in spacecraft, leading to that protocol's adoption by the supercomputer, data center and automation industries.
"Technology is a means to an end. But sometimes there are more ends than anticipated, and the technology created for one purpose here at NASA finds new life in applications for U.S. industry and daily life," said Daniel Lockney, executive of NASA's Technology Transfer program. "As a result, NASA technology doesn't just improve quality of life on the ground—it also creates jobs, saves money and even saves lives."
The publication also includes a "Spinoffs of Tomorrow" section, which highlights 20 NASA technologies available for license, including a nanosensor array that can diagnose illness by scent, a drought assessment and prediction system, and a computer monitoring system that alerts when hackers try to infiltrate.
Spinoff highlights the many successes of the agency's Technology Transfer program within STMD, which is charged with finding the widest possible applications for NASA technology through partnerships and licensing agreements with industry, ensuring that NASA's investments in its missions and research find additional applications that benefit the nation and the world.
Print and digital versions of the latest issue of Spinoff are available at: https://spinoff.nasa.gov
Suggested Items
Three Industry Leaders Receive IPC President’s Award
04/17/2024 | IPCIn recognition of their leadership and significant contributions of time and talent to IPC and the electronics industry, three IPC volunteers were presented with the IPC President’s Award at IPC APEX EXPO in Anaheim, Calif., on April 9, 2024.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2024: IPC Government Relations Holds Lawmakers Accountable
04/16/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOThe IPC Government Relations team is constantly educating Congress and the executive branch about the importance of a robust domestic electronics manufacturing industry. As Richard Cappetto explains, the GR team is focused on proactive strategies, workforce policies, and sustainability, as well as the significance of apprenticeship programs, President Biden's executive order, and employer incentives. Also discussed is the PCB Act, its investment program, tax incentive, and DoD's understanding of supply chain risk.
Catching Up With Chasom Electronics
04/16/2024 | Dan Beaulieu, D.B. Management GroupI recently met with Chasom Electronics’ founding director Anil Kumar. Chasom offers a unique menu of services for companies looking to extend their technology capabilities on a short- or long-term basis. Read on to learn about this very unique service company.
Microchip Technology Acquires Neuronix AI Labs
04/16/2024 | Microchip Technology Inc.Innovative technology enhances AI-enabled intelligent edge solutions and increases neural networking capabilities.
Marcy's Musings: The Growing Industry
04/16/2024 | Marcy LaRont -- Column: Marcy's MusingsAfter decades of steady decline in the U.S. and Europe, the PCB industry is finally growing, especially in China Plus One countries. The U.S. for example, which seemed to have abdicated its title as the world leader in innovating high-technology cutting-edge manufacturing processes, is now in a race to regain what it lost and then some. The PCB fabrication industry is growing in the West, thanks to DoD funding, the CHIPS and Science Act, and hopefully, the passing of HR 3249, the Printed Circuit Board and Substrates Act.