Seven inventions from the Apollo space program we still use today

From New York Post.com (July 8):

It’s been nearly 50 years since NASA put a man on the moon but many of the technologies invented for the groundbreaking Apollo space program are still used in our lives on Earth today.

From the tiny cameras in our cellphones to the heat-proof uniforms used by firefighters to protect them from the dangers of the job — here are seven famous inventions from the 1960s moon shot.

The Dustbuster

The Dustbuster was only made possible thanks to Black & Decker’s work with NASA on developing a lightweight and power-efficient tool for the Apollo Lunar Surface Drill. The same motor design used on the 1969 moon landing was then used to create the Dustbuster.

Thermal blankets

The silvery space blanket often worn by marathon runners and emergency patients was also born from the Apollo 11 mission. The lightweight reflective sheet was created by NASA when it needed a material that would insulate astronauts and the spacecraft while taking up little space, according to website Compare The Market.

Advanced cameras

The tiny, highly efficient cameras used in our cellphones and GoPro recorders was made possible by a NASA engineer charged with making a smaller camera for space, according to NASA’s Spinoff magazine. The small CMOS censor made both photos on the moon and our modern-day selfies possible. [read more]

It’s interesting the Dustbuster came out of the space program. The other four inventions are:

1. Fireproof firefighter uniforms
2. Vacuum-sealed food
3. Shock-absorbing sneaker soles
4. Bridge shock absorbers

Another article on the moon race: The Moon Race: Godless Socialism vs. Faithful Americanism