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Author
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Topic: "Thanks to Apollo..."
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NCApolloFan
Member Posts: 34
From: Belmont, NC USA
Registered: May 2001
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posted 05-21-2001 10:07 AM
   
Clearly the Apollo program advanced humankind on many different levels, the most obvious being that it afforded our first steps on a second world. It also inspired artists of many types, scientists, engineers, authors, and many people in other professions. It served as an excellent example of the benefits of teamwork, determination, and synergy. But what are the less obvious impacts of Apollo? What devices, tools, processes or materials that we today take for granted were created for the Apollo program (or from the knowledge that we gained from the program)? What about similar contributions from Mercury and Gemini?For example, many people either correctly or incorrectly attribute velcro and Tang to the space program. Is there a definitive list of such "by-products" that NASA has generated? Would anyone like to share their knowledge? |
WAWalsh
Member Posts: 809
From: Cortlandt Manor, NY
Registered: May 2000
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posted 05-21-2001 10:41 AM
In his book, Chris Kraft recounts appearing with Dr. Berry (before Congress, I think), where Berry explains that the NASA development of telemetry and the ability to transfer data will lead to a doctor or nurse in a hospital being able to monitor at one console the conditions of all of the patients on the floor (maybe those flight surgeons did provide at least one good thing after all). I am not sure if NASA has claimed credit for such a development. The point being that while NASA does maintain a list of direct benefits, the tangential benefits sometimes get overlooked. Someone may have thought of it first and even implemented it, but NASA's ability to adopt, adapt and conform ideas and then given them wide scale distribution would extend the credits.
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albatron@aol.com
New Member Posts:
From:
Registered:
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posted 05-21-2001 02:57 PM
NASA did, for some years, publish a book called "Spinoffs"....book being a generic term......this listed that years items that came about for general use as a result of the space program. Ive no clue where to find one, nor how to get one, but I suspect NASA Public Affairs at JSC or KSC could help you out. I saw one and picked it up, but just looked for it and cant find it. Ill keep searching and post any info I can...AL |
collshubby
Member Posts: 591
From: Madisonville, Louisiana
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 05-21-2001 03:50 PM
The computer you are reading this message on probably wouldn't be even close to being as advanced as it is if it wasn't for the kick in the bum computer technology got in the early space days. ------------------
Brian Peter
astronautbrian@space.com
http://members.tripod.com/~brian_space/index.html |
Lynn
Member Posts: 68
From:
Registered: Jun 2000
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posted 05-21-2001 03:55 PM
you might check this out:
http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/spinoff.html I have not explored it enough to know if it contains anything like a concise list, but it looks like an interesting site and publication. I learned of it from a pamphlet/page that Ken Havekotte included in a packet to me (thank you!). Lynn
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NCApolloFan
Member Posts: 34
From: Belmont, NC USA
Registered: May 2001
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posted 05-29-2001 06:52 AM
Sorry for the late note of thanks - I appreciate the comments and suggestions. I'll check out the website! |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 05-29-2001 11:45 PM
The most remarkable spin off of APOLLO is certainly the computer ... looking back at the last three decades of the last century I really don't know if we have to call it the SPACE AGE or the COMPUTER AGE ...
A superb book is entitled "Journey to the Moon; the history of the Apollo guidance computer" by Eldon HALL of MIT ... shows how packing made small computers possible ! http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/104-4764373-9659962
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paulj
Member Posts: 98
From: Suffolk, UK
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 05-30-2001 04:58 AM
Personally, I wouldn't claim the 'Computer' to be a spin off from Apollo. Certainly, Apollo helped to evolve computer technology to what we know as the modern computer, focusing on guidance systems, computer aided design, simulation, and minaturisation.I feel this evolution would exist today without apollo, the computer is the spin off from the invention of boolean logic by George Boole in 19th Century (among others). Boolean logic is one of the fundamental building blocks for computer logic, both in hardware and software. Others feel that the invention of the mechanical calculator by Blaise Pascal in the 17th Century started the computer, but these could not evolve in to the complex systems we know Today, the same design was in use in the early 20th Century. Just my thoughts, Regards,
Paul. |
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