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You might think that the NASA space shuttle doesn’t have much in common with your car; and, well, you’d be right. Your van might be big and white, and your old banger might have flames coming out of its exhaust pipe, but neither can fly to the moon – no matter how quickly you take speed bumps.
It’s a good thing, too: if you feel like your commute is a drag now, imagine travelling the 3 days and 238,854 miles that the Apollo missions had to in order to land on the moon. And though car insurance companies offer comprehensive van insurance these days, even specialist space insurance companies find it difficult to get a quote for the smallest satellite that’s less than billions of dollars.
Still, the many space missions that have launched into orbit over the years have a closer relationship with your motor than you might think. It’s not just our understanding of the galaxy that space travel has expanded: it’s our understanding of the way the natural world and technological creations work in harmony. So, since man first dipped his toe in intergalactic travel, his explorations have helped make travel on earth quicker, quieter, safer and kinder to the environment.
For instance, did you know that lubricants used to help the massive trailers that move space shuttles around the launch pads are now used in cars? The greasy substance had to be fantastically effective to manage the massively heavy loads: without its boosters, the Shuttle ‘Endeavour’ weighed a monumental 78,000 kg, while an average four-door car weighs just 1,670 kg. What’s more, the lubricant’s completely biodegradable!
A space shuttle is strapped to a rocket to get it into space – but how does it detach from the hot, heavy lump of metal once it’s safely off the earth? The answer is explosives – for which rescue crews have found an innovative new use. They power hand-held metal cutters used to chop and slice the metal of wrecked cars, so accident victims can be retrieved and moved to saf≠ety. The cheap, effective ‘Jaws of Life’ equipment is used across the world to save lives.
And NASA also save lives on the race track – the space missions’ influence on NASCAR’s cars has been huge. As well as better, stronger, lighter tyres and more effective brakes, their shuttle technology has helped combat the extremely hot conditions that a car experiences at high speeds. Did you know that the parts of a race car which reach the most extreme temperatures (like brake drums, engine parts and the exhaust) are all coated in heat-resistant paint that’s based on NASA’s research?
And the revolutionary materials which protected spacecraft reaching blistering speeds are now used to protect drivers: without the space-age insulation, it’s estimated that temperatures within a speeding NASCAR would reach 160 degrees. Their technology touches even the smallest details: fabric which won’t burn that was first designed to protect astronauts is now used to clothe drivers and pit crew members.
All of which proves that NASA aren’t just stargazers – they’re looking for applied technologies to help life on earth. And they’re looking to the future: in 2008, they helped a company that produces lithium-ion battery vehicles to develop and test a fleet of electric vehicles. Aimed at city-dwellers and commuters, the zero-emission cars now lead the market when it comes to green driving.
