Why Should We Spend Money on Space Exploration When We Have So Many Problems Here on Earth?
Aug. 15, 2012
I’m asked all the time, “Why should we spend money on space exploration when we have so many problems here on planet Earth?”
Two-Way Technology Transfer
During the past 50 years we frequently heard about the many amazing spinoffs from the human spaceflight program - everything from personal computers to solar energy. Now, we are also seeing direct tangible benefits from the research being conducted on the International Space Station (ISS).
The ISS provides a unique environment for scientific discovery that simply cannot be duplicated anywhere on Earth. Research on this orbiting laboratory is not only enabling humans to explore the solar system, it is leading to countless improvements for life on Earth. For example, space based science offers an environment to foster new materials, better medicines, improved methods to provide clean water, and better ways to grow enough food to feed our increasing global population. Studying astronauts living and working in space also enhances our understanding of the human body, resulting in innovative ways to protect all humans from many different ailments. The list of benefits is endless.
I like to point out that the space program technology transfer is two-way. Many NASA engineers give their expertise and spare time to apply space program technology to problems facing the developing world. In doing so, they learn valuable lessons that will allow us to push space exploration beyond low-earth orbit. The highly efficient engineering approaches that are required in the developing world - robust solutions that do not require a lot of maintenance, resupply or training - are the same approaches we need to employ if we are going to break out of the bounds of low-earth orbit.
Each year, NASA celebrates one invention out of many spinoff technologies as the NASA Commercial Invention of the Year. A solar powered refrigerator designed to support life on the Moon, but with huge application on Earth, earned the prestigious title for 2011. With approximately 2 billion of Earth’s inhabitants without access to electricity, this technology developed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center will help us explore space as well as significantly improve the lives of so many on Earth.
Co-developers Mike Ewert and David Bergeron worked on NASA’s Advanced Thermal Team to develop solar refrigeration technology to cool habitats in space. They also realized the need for a comparable solar refrigerator that could operate in conjunction with the simple solar lighting systems already in place on Earth. A modified lunar “solar photovoltaic heat pump” was developed to produce a refrigerator with a vapor compression, battery-free cooling system that converts electricity from solar panels into thermal energy stored internally, using low-cost phase-change materials that control temperature swings. This system eliminates reliance on an electric grid, requires no batteries, stores thermal energy for efficient use when sunlight is absent, and is designed to work anywhere in the world.
Such a scalable, energy-efficient resource can be an incredible asset in places people don’t have refrigeration, including remote medical centers and underdeveloped areas. Electricity is essential for storage of vaccines and medicine. This technology can greatly reduce the cost and increase the availability of vaccines delivered to the most impoverished regions of the world.
The solar powered refrigerator has been approved by the World Health Organization to provide cooling for vaccines in developing countries - a direct result of NASA’s two-way technology transfer.
According to Mike Ewert, this is just the beginning, “The NASA battery-free solar technology could be used to cool milk, produce or other consumer products in under-developed regions around the world, thus creating economic opportunities and improving lives on Earth.”
This technology is part of NASA’s Innovative Partnerships Program, which seeks to transfer technology into and out of NASA to benefit the space program and U.S. industry.
NASA invites companies to inquire about the licensing possibilities for the Solar-Powered Refrigeration Technology (MSC-22970). For information about this and other technology licensing opportunities, contact:
Strategic Opportunities and Partnerships Development Office
NASA Johnson Space Center
Other posts by this author
- To Be Continued ...
- One Young World Summit - The Key Is We
- Moonshot
- Guardians of Earth
- Do 1 Thing Day - July 20, 2012
- The Orbital Perspective of Nicholas Kristof
- An Invitation to Participate in the International Space Apps Challenge
- LAUNCHing Ideas for a Waste-less Tomorrow
- We Get to Carry Each Other
Aug. 16, 2012
Mike C.
I feel like solar powered air conditioning is a logical next step! We should be implementing it in cities everywhere.
Aug. 16, 2012
Austin V.
solar powered refrigerator is really cool!
Aug. 17, 2012
D.M.J. M.
hahaha, thats punny !
Aug. 17, 2012
D.M.J. M.
hahaha, that's punny !
Aug. 16, 2012
Niki W.
Such a wonderful idea, the solar-powered refrigerator, in its role storing medical supplies it will touch so many lives for the better - patients, their families, and medical professionals. I have a work colleague who is involved in a project which brings solar power to rural farming families in Nicaragua - the solar panels provide light at night enabling the farmers to sell milk untainted by fumes from kerosene lamps which they previously used for lighting, and allows the families' children to read and study for longer each day, improving their educational opportunities.
Aug. 16, 2012
John J.
I just don't see it. It all seems like excess spending that takes away from research that could be done by universities.
That is to say, we build machines and rockets and send them off into space and a company gets to make and sell solar refrigerators. I say eliminate the rockets and machines and fund research directly. We don't have to explore space to peripherally benefit from it.
Use the $150bn dollars the ISS cost to fund research into creating clean drinking water for impoverished areas. Use it to fund research like Gates did into creating a better toilet to save lives (1.5m children a year) taken by poor sanitation. And there would still be $149.6bn left over.
Aug. 17, 2012
D.M.J. M.
I think he (Gates) awarded the toronto toilet guys 40,000 not 400,000 if that was how you got to $149.6B ;)
only big govt pays $400,000 for a toilet that sucks ;p (get it; sucks... space, vacuum... ehhh ? )
Aug. 17, 2012
John J.
"The Gates toilet focus started just about a year ago, and including grants announced Tuesday, $370 million in foundation money has been committed to reinventing the toilet. "
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/08/15/bill-gates-toilet.html
Aug. 17, 2012
John J.
"The Gates toilet focus started just about a year ago, and including grants announced Tuesday, $370 million in foundation money has been committed to reinventing the toilet. "
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/08/15/bill-gates-toilet.html
Aug. 17, 2012
John J.
Well, that's odd. I click Reply on the comment above, and the reply appears here instead of the thread above.
Aug. 17, 2012
Elyse David
Where on it John.
Aug. 18, 2012
D.M.J. M.
ahh sweet, I was just reading about the winners from toronto; stand-alone unit processes the mess into safe stuff in 24 hrs or less, got $40K. Soon we will be endebted to the Gates' for both public computers and perhaps public washrooms. <3 philanthropy #LovingTheTrickleDown ;p
Aug. 17, 2012
Jacob F.
Great write-up Ron! Gotta keep telling that message. No necessity, no invention! We as a species can become very complacent and we will revert to being a "great ape" once again. But those few that keep on pushing the boundaries are truly blazing the path not only to the stars, but right out of the Stone ages as well!
Bravo!
Aug. 17, 2012
Dianne F.
Through exploration of space, we may find new precious materials that can be a scientific benefit that will help us to understand the universe and where we belong. More funding is needed for research, scientists, engineers, teachers, students and computer scientists. By using solar energy to reduce spending will help with funding.
Aug. 17, 2012
Shelley-Anne H.
Thank you so much for the article - it is very informative and quite inspiring.
Aug. 17, 2012
Ron G.
Thanks everyone for all the great comments - Keep them coming!
Aug. 19, 2012
Muy interesante el mundo y el espacio
Aug. 18, 2012
kevin l.
Countries around the world donate millions if not billions in aide for 3rd world countries, if they also spend similar amounts in exploration then that is up to that particular country!... no one tells US how to spend our earnings, space exploration could find cures for many diseases, also could find us a second home as this planet is wayyyyyyyy over populated. And personally speaking i think it wonderful looking out to mars and knowing that curiosity is there well done too NASA.
Aug. 18, 2012
Marco P.
Interesting video, and yes aside the Spin-off discussion as Neil deGrasse says we have the chance to learn more of ourselves by watching how we behave from another point of view.
It's incredible how much we can learn gaining a diverse, far, objective, different point of view on something or someone.
Even the story published by NasaKennedy account on August 15th on youtube called "In my own words" about Nicole Stott ... other people that mentor us can tell us what they see in us and what we don't see.
If we spend in Space also together (check on CIA factbook how much every nation spends for military for example) we can get together or competing to common goals. Space exploration helps peace and if we develop a Space Culture in our societies in the different cultural backgrounds (u.s.a., India, China, Italy ...) we can create a Culture of innovation which helps economies.
You can follow these topics on 28th National Space Symposium video on youtube by deGrasse.
I love Fragile Oasis, Keep up the good work.
The experiment from SpaceLab is appealing and makes the ISS much more attractive to me. It was a great Idea. As I was telling Suni few minutes ago in a post I would have loved to send my experiment to you there!
Now I have to go back to finish watching an interesting movie ... it's called GATTACA ;)