To infinity and beyond

Fifty years since the first moon landing, space race technology is still changing the world

When Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the moon — the first humans to do so — it was the culmination of years of research and development by NASA’s scientists, mathematicians, programmers and engineers.

The monumental accomplishment symbolises the scale of technological advances achieved during the space race.

President John F. Kennedy’s national goal of “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth” saw two of the three-man crew walk the lunar surface on July 20, 1969 (astronaut Michael Collins remained in the command module in lunar orbit), with all three safely returning to earth four days later.

The push to achieve such a feat, and the progress beyond, has seen NASA scientists gift the world more than 6,000 “spinoff” technologies now used in everyday life. Some are well attributed: freeze-dried ice cream and space blankets; others, like invisible teeth braces or home insulation, far less so.

Perhaps the most significant legacy is in the realm of computing technology; the need for reliable and miniaturised control electronics in the Apollo program advanced the speed of processing power in modern-day computers and other electronic equipment. The imperative to cut down on weight and power consumption led to the development of the integrated circuit, eclipsing large old-fashioned transistors. The mission to put a man on the moon led to the creation of a commercial microchip market much earlier than would otherwise have been the case.

With the overarching necessity of reducing the size, mass and power consumption of all equipment sent to space, NASA turned its attention to one of the world’s first laptops: the GRiD Compass. Although it didn’t design the computer, it adjusted it for a zero-gravity environment. With the codename Shuttle Portable On-Board Computer, NASA embraced the clamshell case, and ultimately propelled the commercial laptop market forward, influencing the direction of future designs.

The computer industry also benefited from NASA-designed non-reflective coating screens. The technology, initially brought about for the various displays inside the space shuttle, was subsequently rolled out commercially and incorporated in laptop screens, TVs and other monitors.

One of the most profound, yet often overlooked, technologies advanced by the space race is diagnostic imaging used in medicine, including CT scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRIs). In the mid-1960s NASA pioneered digital image processing that enabled better analysis of pictures of the moon; elements of this were later used to develop these medical imaging techniques.

Apollo-based technologies were also used to create cardiac devices including the AID pulse generator, which monitors the heart continuously, recognising the onset of heart attack and delivering a corrective shock when needed, like an implanted mini defibrillator.

The programmable pacemaker system was another spinoff; the invention enabled a doctor to communicate with a patient’s pacemaker through wireless telemetry signals. Compared with earlier pacemakers, this made it possible to fine-tune the device to the patient’s changing needs after implantation.

Dialysis machines, too, were a remarkable spinoff of NASA-developed technologies brought about to minimise the size and mass of materials taken into space. As water is relatively heavy, a need to recycle and purify liquids in space led to innovative filtration systems, the principles of which were applied to the dialysis process. Patients dramatically benefited from the new portability, as the equipment didn’t require a constant connection to water or drainage outlets.

Watch technology was pushed forward by the space race, with NASA’s stringent specifications and punishing regime of testing — extreme temperatures, humidity, shock and vibration, among others — necessary to ensure the utmost accuracy and reliability. The OMEGA Speedmaster was the first watch worn on the moon by Apollo 11 astronauts.

With Apollo 13, the watch became a lifesaving device. When electronic systems failed, the spacecraft narrowly avoided disaster by timing the fuel burn for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere manually with an OMEGA Speedmaster; the team used the Earth as a reference point and the chronographs on their Speedmasters to precisely time the burns, narrowly avoiding a catastrophic end.

In the realm of physical performance, NASA applied the principles of drag reduction in partnering with Speedo to develop the infamous LZR swimsuit. Based on research using the space agency’s wind tunnel facilities and fluid flow analysis software, the winners of 94 per cent of swim races at the 2008 Beijing Olympics were wearing the controversial high-performance outfit.

Runners have benefited, also, with “Moon Boot” technology improving shock absorption and providing superior stability and motion control that’s revolutionised athletic footwear.

The list of space race spinoffs is seemingly endless: cordless power tools, smoke detectors, the joystick, ear thermometers and memory foam. NASA’s influence on modern technology is prevalent almost everywhere you look; without it, the world would be a very different place.

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