“This is one small step for humanity, one giant leap for mankind.”
Neil Armstrong’s famous statement during the first Moon Landing refers to the scientific and technological success achieved some 50 years ago, on July 20, 1969.
But it is also a milestone that affects our daily lives.
With an estimated cost of US$200 billion, the Apollo program also sparked surprising advances in things you may never have known.
1. Cleaning the house just got easier
Launched in 1979 (10 years after the first Moon Landing) the Dustbuster was derived from the dust cleaners used by the Apollo astronauts.
The cordless power tool existed before the Apollo flights but this program really helped its development into the product we know today.
US equipment maker Black & Decker, for example, actually launched a “cordless” drill in 1961.
The same company has provided NASA with special drills to obtain core samples from the satellites.
The knowledge gained from engine and battery development allowed Black & Decker to review a range of equipment including the first commercial cordless cleaner in 1979.
The Dustbuster sold over 150 million units in 30 years.
2. Scheduling improvements
Buzz Aldrin, the second man to step on the Moon, wore a watch.
Accuracy was critical to the success of the Moon Landing – because one second could determine the lives of astronauts.
So it’s not surprising that NASA requires a clock with the highest level of accuracy.
The solution is a more sophisticated form than a quartz watch that provides an accuracy of one minute per year.
But the watch’s fame was robbed of the “old-fashioned” mechanical watch that Armstrong and fellow Moon explorer Buzz Aldrin still wore on the Apollo 11 missions.
3. Cleaner water
You have to thank NASA for the pool water being less stinging to the eye.
The water purification technology used aboard the Apollo spacecraft is now being used to kill bacteria, viruses and algae in water sources.
This program pioneered the use of chlorine-free technology based on silver ions.
Today it is still widely used in swimming pools and fountains in the world.
4. More durable shoes
Spacesuit technology gave birth to more durable sports shoes.
Today astronauts still wear uniforms based on the 1965 model designed to protect the Apollo crew as they hit the Moon.
This technology also inspired the creation of shoes: more flexible, stable and shock-absorbing shoes that have been on the market for decades
5. Flame-retardant material
The fire-retardant material NASA developed for space is now being used on Earth.
The fire that destroyed Apollo 1 during training in 1967, killed the three astronauts on board and damaged the US space program.
But this event also led NASA to develop new refractory materials that are widely used on Earth.
Even the cooling system used on astronauts at launch is now helping many people, including sclerosis patients.
6. Heart technology
Defibrillator implant maker inspired by NASA technology.
The implant defibrillator, a device used to treat people with abnormal heart rhythms, was first developed based on advances in NASA’s miniature circuit technology.
Unlike the defibrillator in emergency services, this miniature version is placed under the patient’s skin to monitor the heart rate.
Abnormalities are corrected through electrical impulses.
7. Food is denser
Apollo’s freeze-dried food inspired the commercial version.
When trying to reach the Moon, NASA had to think of ways to save space and make the craft as light as possible.
In addition, the need for conservation has also driven food research for the Apollo missions.
Unlike previous short flights such as the Mercury and Gemini programs (1961-66), the mission to the Moon spent 13 days in space.
The solution is to do a freeze-drying process, where water is removed from cooked food at very low temperatures – and to eat it, add hot water.
This is useful for Neil Armstrong as well as mountaineers, especially because of its low cost.
8. Rescue blanket
Space blankets are also important on Earth.
The space blanket is a nickname given to the shiny heaters that the space agency used to protect the Apollo lunar modules from the sun’s heat.
This item made the spaceship look like it was wrapped in aluminum sheet, but it was also the inspiration for the rescue blanket we know today.
Made of plastic and aluminum, today’s space blankets provide protection not only for astronauts.
NASA technology is used to create heating blankets used in humanitarian and rescue missions.
This blanket is also widely used in marathon races because it can protect runners from hypothermia.
Hospitals are also using this space technology for their patients and staff.
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