Wacka Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 You forgot about velcro. Without velcro, you wouldn't be able to strap on your helmet or put your shoes on. Actually it was invented in 1941 and started to be sold in the 1950s.
ExiledInIllinois Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 Actually it was invented in 1941 and started to be sold in the 1950s. I think it (the US patent for Velco) is 50 years old this year? Wasn't it invented by a Swede? EDIT: Swiss... Same diff!
In-A-Gadda-Levitre Posted May 27, 2008 Author Posted May 27, 2008 We wouldn't have computers if it weren't for wasting billions to go to Mars? Link? NASA is not the origin of digital computers, but their requirements in terms of speed, size, weight, non-destructive memory and lots of environmental characteristics accelerated the development of todays small, fast computers that are based on semiconductors and external storage. There's many books dedicated to the subject, have at it. I guess I never realized that space exploration and research is "wasted billions"
stevestojan Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 I think it (the US patent for Velco) is 50 years old this year? Wasn't it invented by a Swede? No, it was invented with moon dust.
Pete Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 No, it was invented with moon dust. Moon dust is very interesting and mysterious stuff. Astronauts say it smells like gun powder, doesn't taste half bad, and is incredibly clingy- it adheres to anything... http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/explorat...ofmoondust.html
In-A-Gadda-Levitre Posted May 27, 2008 Author Posted May 27, 2008 Read here dingus. Go to post #59 on this page. Educate yourself. 7. The development of the CCD (charged coupled device) pretty much eliminated the need for scalpels in mammograms. Doctors can now use a needle to do biopsies, eliminating scars and saving patients and insurance providers over 300% on these procedures. The CCD is pretty much inside every modern digital camcorder and many digital still cameras
ExiledInIllinois Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 From what I gather... Things and CHANGE catch on rather slowly... The space program (yes, expensive) has been a catalyst for change in the way people think of a product... IMO.
ExiledInIllinois Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 No, it was invented with moon dust. Yet, the space program made the practical application of Velcro catch on... No? Change comes slowly without creative boosts.
Pete Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 From what I gather... Things and CHANGE catch on rather slowly... The space program (yes, expensive) has been a catalyst for change in the way people think of a product... IMO. Technologies makes it way to the military and space programs first, then medical, then down the road to the general public. An example would be the latest camera technology. Digital imagining has been used by the military and hospitals much longer then they became available to general public.
Booster4324 Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html Stuff AD ripped off. Good find man
John Adams Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 You can't be that stupid. Link? http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?act=S...sult_type=posts
KnightRider Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 I saw a presentation from the chief investigator of this program last year. While it is by no means a small budget at $420M, it isn't huge money. The Phoenix name comes from the amount of material reuse from previous program efforts. The lander itself was originally supposed to be a follow-on vehicle for the one that crashed ~10 years ago. It has a small backhoe apparatus that is supposed to dig through about 6-18" of soil down into the ice. The plan is to thaw the ice, look for evidence of life in the soil and water samples, and see if something could be grown using Mars soil and water for human consumption.
Cornerville Posted May 27, 2008 Posted May 27, 2008 One of the few Government programs that actually sees a return on its investment Computers, GPS, cell phones, medical imaging, solar energy, food preservation...i could go on if you'd like All that and more for less than 1% of the Federal Budget Wait, I thought we had computers and the internet because of Bill Gates and Al Gore???
Cheeseburger_in_paradise Posted May 28, 2008 Posted May 28, 2008 Phoenix on the moon!!!!! How do we get Miami to go there?
Steely Dan Posted May 28, 2008 Posted May 28, 2008 I saw a presentation from the chief investigator of this program last year. While it is by no means a small budget at $420M, it isn't huge money. The Phoenix name comes from the amount of material reuse from previous program efforts. The lander itself was originally supposed to be a follow-on vehicle for the one that crashed ~10 years ago. It has a small backhoe apparatus that is supposed to dig through about 6-18" of soil down into the ice. The plan is to thaw the ice, look for evidence of life in the soil and water samples, and see if something could be grown using Mars soil and water for human consumption. It will also stay as a weather station after it's analysis of the ice. Wait, I thought we had computers and the internet because of Bill Gates and Al Gore??? How many times do I have to link this?
stevewin Posted May 28, 2008 Posted May 28, 2008 http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html That's all great stuff - but it always amazes me the people who have no appreciation for, at the most basic level, just great science, exploration, and human achievement.
In-A-Gadda-Levitre Posted May 28, 2008 Author Posted May 28, 2008 How many times do I have to link this? interesting, I had read some of that, but never the exact wording he used at the time... Anecdotally, in 1986 I worked for a computer systems company. We were doing a beta test of a very early router, and our partner was a college in Michigan that was gonna try it for us and see if it was ready for prime time. We had internet then, but only a few companies, universities and the military were connected. You couldn't use it for commercial purposes at all. We wanted to FTP (file copy) the software update to them instead of sending a tape or CD via Fed Ex. We had to get all kinds of lawyers to decide if it was legal or not. Eventually they decided it was ok since we weren't selling anything. Years later congress passed legislation to allow commercialization of the government net and history was made. It was a big joke about Al Gore at the time, since the internet itself had been around for so many years and the technology for the www came out of CERN in Europe, so how did he invent it? Looking back, it was very important legislation to change it's purpose from a closed research network to the open Information Highway.
KnightRider Posted May 28, 2008 Posted May 28, 2008 It will also stay as a weather station after it's analysis of the ice. IIRC, I don't think they expect it to survive the winter season, but I'm sure it will track the data till a storm takes it out...
dib Posted May 28, 2008 Posted May 28, 2008 Ironic. A tripod machine landing on Mars. I wonder if the robotic arm has a heat ray.
/dev/null Posted May 28, 2008 Posted May 28, 2008 That's all great stuff - but it always amazes me the people who have no appreciation for, at the most basic level, just great science, exploration, and human achievement. because you can't hug a spaceship
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