All the Arguments for Space Exploration Ever — Part 3
Originally intended for Space Mission-specific applications, there exists a humongous archive of technologies that has or will be used in the public sphere as technology spinoffs. They have directly or indirectly made for great enrichment of our human lives.
The digital camera’s CMOS active pixel sensor technology was invented in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory which miniaturized imaging systems and minimized power demands over the camera technology based on passive pixel sensors.
The GPS (Global Positioning System) has its origins in the TOPEX mission, a topography experiment to monitor the ocean currents over time. The experiment required the precise location of the TOPEX satellite and an innovative program called GIPSY-OASIS was developed which helped pinpoint satellite location to 2 cm accuracy. This was extended for terrestrial application and became the GPS.
The list goes on with robotic nurses , advanced water filtration/purification technology, search and rescue systems, LEDs, highway safety, ventricular assist device, structural analysis software (NASTRAN), cordless vacuum cleaners, artificial polyurethane foot, agrophotometers, lower atmospheric wind profiler, precision tapping attachment, ground penetration radars, Doppler weather radars, bedbug detection technology, stomach ulcer identification through breath, lightweight composites for automobiles, pollution detection devices, deep sea drill ships, electronic packaging techniques, densitometer, smoke detector, next-gen radiation imager for airport security checks, surgery microscope for cancer cell identification , a guitar line, radiation hazard detector, solar water heater, food packaging material.
Chances are that majority of the world population has space technology derivatives around them. A more complete compilation of spinoffs can be seen here , here and also here and here.
As if that wasn’t enough, NASA has released a software catalog in 2014 that made over 1600 pieces of software available to the public at no cost. Space agencies that share open source software have tremendously benefited general public. The general public can use this information to find the planetary positions, see the global weather forecast through actual satellite data.
Also read other parts of the series: