Extraordinary Materials: Developed for Space, Useful for Just About Everything on Earth

Did

you know technologies developed for space show up all over Earth? Our Technology

Transfer Program has one major goal: bring our technology down to Earth. We

patent space innovations developed for missions so that companies, startups and

entrepreneurs can spin them off into new commercial products.

Our

engineers and scientists create all sorts of materials and coatings—in fact, it

is one of the most licensed technology categories in our patent portfolio. From

materials that improve industrial and

household products, to coatings and insulations that protect satellites,

machinery and firefighters,

our technologies offer smart solutions for modern challenges.

These are a few of our most in-demand technologies.

Dust-Resistant Coatings

Made

by innovators at our Langley

Research Center, this tech was first created for exploring dusty, dirty surfaces

like the Moon, Mars and asteroids. Lunar dust has been shown to cause big

problems with mechanical equipment, like clogging filters and damaging seals.

This technology can be used in the production of films, coatings and surface

treatments to create dust-resistant and self-cleaning products for biomedical

devices, aircraft, cars and much more. This tech could be a game-changer when

battling dirt and grime.

Smart, Environmentally-Friendly Coating System

Looking

for a technology to ward off corrosion that’s also safe for the environment? Developed

to protect our launch pads at Kennedy Space

Center

from extreme heat and exhaust from rockets, this “smart” coating can detect and

prevent corrosion. It can even be painted on damaged surfaces to heal and

protect them going forward. This tech has commercial potential in building

safer bridges, automobiles and machinery.  While it may seem like magic, this technology

will reduce maintenance cost and improve

safety.

Multilayer

Fire Protection System

Made

to protect astronauts and vehicles during the dangerously hot task of reentry,

scientists at Langley developed a flexible, lightweight and portable thermal

protection system that can serve as a personal emergency fire shelter.

The

flexible technology is made up of multilayer thermal blankets designed to

handle external temperatures of up to 2,000°F – that’s as hot as magma found in

some volcanos! The system can be formed as a sleeping bag, a tent, a blanket, a

curtain, a flexible roll-up doorway or even for

fire protection in housing structures.

Super-Strength Aluminums

This

award-winning tech

was initially developed by researchers at our Marshall

Space Flight Center to help reduce vehicle exhaust emissions. This special alloy is

flexible and strong—even at temperatures of over 500°F. That means it can withstand

more wear and tear than other similar materials. Currently, this tech can be

found improving motors on fishing boats as well

as in all kinds of different engines.

Oil-Free

Lubricants

Not

all lubricants are liquids, for example, the non-stick coating on a frying pan.

Truly in a class of its own, innovators at our Glenn

Research Center have created solid lubricant materials to reduce friction and wear

in mechanical parts, especially in extremely high heat. This tech could be

useful in large engines, valves, turbines and power generation.

High-Strength

Super Elastic Compounds

We needed a better material than iron or steel to prevent

corrosion and rust in the International

Space Station’s wastewater treatment system. Enter: our high-strength, super elastic compounds. Shock-proof, lightweight, durable and immune to rust, this durable tech has

applications in ships, machines, industrial knives and cutters, and engine

bearings here on Earth. They also don’t chemically degrade or break down lubricants, a

common problem with existing bearing materials.

Interested

in licensing the tech mentioned above? Follow the links to apply through our

website, http://technology.nasa.gov.

You

can also browse our entire materials and coatings portfolio at http://technology.nasa.gov/materials_and_coatings/.

Follow

our NASA Technology Transfer Program on Twitter (@NASAsolutions) for the latest

updates on technologies available for licensing.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.