To Boldly Go…
“It is human nature to stretch, to go, to see, to understand. Exploration is not a choice really, it is an imperative.” ~Michael Collins, Command Module Pilot Apollo 11
Happy Birthday America! Today, history has been made yet again by our friends from NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratories as the Juno Space Probe has reached its destination of orbit around the largest planet in our solar system, the giant planet of Jupiter. Launched almost five years ago on August 5, 2011, the Juno Spacecraft traveled over 1,700,000,000 miles to a point in space that would put it in an orbit around the massive planet in order to study the planet in order to give better understanding of our own solar system. For space geeks like me this is yet another great milestone in space exploration but there are many who ask the question of why? Why do we spend billions of dollars on space exploration when we as a nation struggle with basic human needs here on this planet?
For all the debate that occurs over the necessity of needing a national space agency or not, that fact remains that the technologies developed for space travel and exploration have had and continue to have an impact on our daily lives. These “spinoffs” from the space program are items created by NASA or for NASA that have been released to manufactures to be reproduced or improved upon for the welfare of the general public. There are literally hundreds of spinoffs that have made it from NASA to the general public through creative and innovative companies that strive to develop solutions to common everyday problem. In the field of healthcare alone, spinoffs have helped millions of Americans by enabling providers to give better care through technological advancements like ventricular assist devices for patients waiting for a heart transplant, materials for artificial hips, infrared ear thermometers, automatic insulin pumps, and advanced materials and design for artificial limbs. These are just a few of the long list of spinoffs that are contributing to better health care industry. Athletic shoes like the Nike Air would not be as comfortable or as lightweight without the former NASA engineer who used technologies used in the manufacture of the moon shoes to help design and create the soft and springy shoes we know and covet today. Without the technology from the space program, the Converse “Chuck Taylors” style shoe might be the only game in town today, who knows?
The point being that technologies from the space program permeate our everyday life at home, at work, in our hospitals, on the athletic field; everywhere. These technologies like computing software or telecommunication applications (cellphones) affect us every day and had we stopped exploring the universe after we reached the moon or had we stopped pushing the scientific bounds of our understanding, then we would all suffer as a society. So take a moment today and say thank you to the innovative women and men who keep pushing the understanding and the boundaries of space exploration. Who knows what new and exciting developments and new spinoffs will come of our study of the planet Jupiter over the next two years? One thing is for certain, as exploration continues, new and innovative ideas will trickle forward from NASA to continue to create a better world in which all can live a more comfortable, safer and healthier life.
I hope everyone enjoyed the 4th of July weekend festivities this past weekend with friends and family. As we move forward into the short week, I encourage everyone to try and think of what might or might not be a spinoff from NASA that you use in your daily existence. For more information on spinoffs and where you can find them, check out https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2008/tech_benefits.html or click the link to their interactive look at the home of the city, it’s pretty cool. If you have any questions, please drop me a line and don’t be afraid of sharing the good news. Have a great week everyone, take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this thing together!
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com