NASA has a long history of seeing its technology turned around after spaceflight for some more earthbound purposes. (Enjoy that scratch-resistant coating on your glasses? Well, it began life as an ‘80s-era spacecraft water filtration system.) What some people miss is that it’s still happening today.
Every year, NASA puts out what it calls a “spinoff report.” No, this is not a list of ideas for a series of zany, roommate comedies set aboard the ISS. (Although this is an excellent idea. Call me, NASA TV!) The spinoff report is actually a list of all the ways NASA’s tech has been repurposed into new products, ranging from the inevitable to the surprising to the bizarre.
Here are a few of highlights from this year’s version:
A turntable laser spectrometer that was part of the Mars rovers’ methane detection system was repurposed into a handheld gas leak detector.
“Space blanket” tech was used to make some ultra-durable laptop casings.
NASA robotics tech found its way into a “smart” coffeemaker, with more consistent temperatures.
Carbon dioxide capture research, used for analyzing Martian results, was turned around into a carbon dioxide capture system for microbreweries to carbonate.
A NASA Langley ‘80s design for a never-carried-out “hypersonic plane” managed to make its way into a more current version of a wind turbine.
Originally designed to measure replacement parts for the Hubble telescope, a laser vision tool is now more pedestrianly used to sort packages.
You can check out the full list of products for 2016 right here.
Top image: Artist’s concept of Curiosity rover using its “chemcam” laser to analyze some Martian rocks / NASA JPL
