Notices
General NON-Automotive Conversation No Political, Sexual or Religious topics please.

Designed by N.A.S.A. - Why?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 13, 2006 | 09:24 AM
  #16  
00BlueOvalRanger's Avatar
00BlueOvalRanger
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,562
Likes: 2
From: Southern MD
Originally Posted by wlihntr
it was designed for and used in the seats the astronauts sit in during launch

Bingo!!!!!! Give this man a prize!!!!!

This 'memory foam' was designed into the seats of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft, so that the astronauts could have a more supportive place to sit. Probably in the shuttle's seats, too!

The astronauts were subjected to several (not sure of how many) G-Forces during launch/lift-off.

As petes79f150 said, Velcro was designed/invented by and through NASA.

Freeze-dried products, also.

There are so many products in use today, because of the geniuses at NASA and their suppliers that it would be difficult to name them all.

(Who remembers 'Tang'????????????)
 
Reply
Old Feb 13, 2006 | 11:02 AM
  #17  
Tom84150's Avatar
Tom84150
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
Ahh! But if you really listen to the commercial, it's also called the "Sweedish Sleep System". So, how were the Swedes involved in this. Is there no security at NASA !!

-tom
 
Reply
Old Feb 13, 2006 | 11:46 AM
  #18  
whodat54321's Avatar
whodat54321
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
it also pads the office chairs of fat nasa managers
 
Reply
Old Feb 13, 2006 | 11:51 AM
  #19  
48fordjeffie's Avatar
48fordjeffie
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
From: Syracuse, N.Y.
Smile Designed by N.A.S.A. - Why?

Hey,
I tried adding foam to our bed, it worked for a while. I just bought one of those mattresses. It just arrived today. I'll let you know after I test drive it so to speak. Pretty pricey, but the wife has two herniated discs so, it's worth it to me.
Jeff
 
Reply
Old Feb 13, 2006 | 03:34 PM
  #20  
00BlueOvalRanger's Avatar
00BlueOvalRanger
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,562
Likes: 2
From: Southern MD
Originally Posted by 48fordjeffie
Hey,
I tried adding foam to our bed, it worked for a while. I just bought one of those mattresses. It just arrived today. I'll let you know after I test drive it so to speak. Pretty pricey, but the wife has two herniated discs so, it's worth it to me.
Jeff
If you're not worried about price, try out "The Sleep Number Bed'!
I have a bad back, neck and knees, and I slept (literally) a year on the floor! Mattresses are generally too soft for me.
My wife dragged me into the Sleep Number Bed store, and when the sales lady cranked that puppy up to 100. . . . . ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
We had one delivered that week!
We got the model that has two different settings, one for each side of the bed.
Fantastic bed!
My sleep number is 100!!

(Sorry. I didn't mean to hi-jack the thread!)
 
Reply
Old Feb 13, 2006 | 03:49 PM
  #21  
seventyseven250's Avatar
seventyseven250
Lead Driver
20 Year Member
Community Favorite
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,463
Likes: 724
From: Calgary Canada
I always wondered if anyone bought that sleep number bed. Thanks for answering that question.

I'd assume it runs on air pressure?
 
Reply
Old Feb 13, 2006 | 03:58 PM
  #22  
BikerWithTruck's Avatar
BikerWithTruck
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 415
Likes: 0
From: Burlington Vermont area
NASA has a vast "technology transfer" program. We tax payers spend mattress-fulls of cash to fund development of countless whiz-bang stuff, much of it related in some way to space travel, some of it just basic science research. Then NASA gives back a subset of the developments so anybody with the wits to turn the whiz-bangs into useful products can make a buck. If you're doing that, you might as well tell everybody that the rocket scientists invented it - 'cause they did, and it sounds cool. That's the basic story behind all the space pens, Tang, velcro and other stuff. Now you know.

Here, go ahead and get rich yourself: http://www.nasatechnology.com/
 

Last edited by BikerWithTruck; Feb 13, 2006 at 04:30 PM.
Reply
Old Feb 13, 2006 | 04:13 PM
  #23  
00BlueOvalRanger's Avatar
00BlueOvalRanger
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,562
Likes: 2
From: Southern MD
Originally Posted by seventyseven250
I always wondered if anyone bought that sleep number bed. Thanks for answering that question.

I'd assume it runs on air pressure?
Yup. Nice quiet little pump under the bed. Oops. I should have said SILENT pump.
This bed is the greatest thing since sliced bread. No joke.
I slept (literally) on the floor for 1 year.
I won't own anything else (for me, that is.)
I don't work for them, I don't own the company, but, I wish I did!
This bed ain't cheap.

I'm trying to convince my folks to buy one, but, they are so 'tight' they squeak while standing still!
(They are retired and on a fixed income, now, but. . . . )
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

 Brett Foote
story-3

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

 Brett Foote
story-5

Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

 Brett Foote
story-9

2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Feb 16, 2006 | 08:54 PM
  #24  
e1p1's Avatar
e1p1
Fleet Mechanic
20 Year Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 2
From: CA Central Coast
Duuuuude!

NASA research may save the surfing industry! And give the taxpayers a kickback (no pun intended).

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...6/tc_zd/171675
 
Reply
Old Feb 16, 2006 | 10:39 PM
  #25  
petes79f150's Avatar
petes79f150
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,238
Likes: 0
From: Kiefer, Northeastern Okla
Duuuude- Glad to know our tax dollars have gone to such a gnarly cause for a change!
 
Reply
Old Feb 17, 2006 | 01:51 AM
  #26  
twin66's Avatar
twin66
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: North Alberta
Nasa spent thousands to make that space pen. The russians used pencils - 2cents?

someone told me that joke and I thought it might be appropriate here. not sure if it's true or not.
I think it is actually is, and where they still lead pencils then? i really do not know. because if it was graphite, there should be no conductivity issues.
 
Reply
Old Feb 17, 2006 | 11:13 AM
  #27  
pchristman's Avatar
pchristman
Laughing Gas
Veteran: Army
20 Year Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 796
Likes: 1
From: KCMO
Space pens I'll give you. But Tang and Velcro are urban legend stuff - neither was developed for/by the space program.
 
Reply
Old Feb 17, 2006 | 11:29 AM
  #28  
BikerWithTruck's Avatar
BikerWithTruck
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 415
Likes: 0
From: Burlington Vermont area
Originally Posted by pchristman
Space pens I'll give you. But Tang and Velcro are urban legend stuff - neither was developed for/by the space program.
Touche! According to "The Straight Dope" (entire article here):
(1) Spin-offs. Few and far between. As reported in 1993 by space skeptic Bob Park, who writes a weekly news digest for the American Physical Society, an internal NASA study admitted, "To much of the public, NASA's technology transfer reputation is based on some famous examples, including Velcro, Tang and Teflon. Contrary to popular belief, NASA created none of these. . . . There have not been very many technology transfer successes compared to the potential." Park added, "In 1991, during a Senate debate on an amendment to slash funding for Space Station Freedom, Sen. [Howell] Heflin (D-AL) produced a NASA list of 74 'space spinoffs'--everything from synthetic teats for piglets to portable ice rinks. [I] challenged anyone to document that a single item on the list actually owed its existence to the space program. There were no takers."
 
Reply
Old Feb 17, 2006 | 01:20 PM
  #29  
wlihntr's Avatar
wlihntr
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,758
Likes: 7
From: colorado
Originally Posted by pchristman
Space pens I'll give you. But... Velcro are urban legend stuff - neither was developed for/by the space program.
thats correct the hook and loop fastener was invented in 1948 by Georges de Mestral, a Swiss engineer. The idea came to him after he took a close look at the seed pod burrs which kept sticking to his dog on their daily walk in the Alps. De Mestral named his invention "VELCRO" after the French words velours, meaning 'velvet', and crochet, meaning 'hook'.
 
Reply
Old Feb 17, 2006 | 02:21 PM
  #30  
petes79f150's Avatar
petes79f150
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,238
Likes: 0
From: Kiefer, Northeastern Okla
Guess you can't believe everything you hear on the Discovery Channel- that's where I heard that.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:30 PM.

story-0
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-30 18:33:59


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-2
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE
story-4
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

And it might be even better than that.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-18 19:26:42


VIEW MORE
story-5
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

Slideshow: Does lowering an F-150 Lobo RUIN the ride quality?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-18 19:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-6
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE
story-8
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

Slideshow: first look at the 810 hp 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road!

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-12 12:50:07


VIEW MORE
story-9
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know about the 2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-07 17:51:06


VIEW MORE