Technology transfer, the practice of moving inventions and processes from one field of human endeavor into another, is at the core of NASA's existence. Starting in 1915, NASA's predecessor, NACA, was given a Congressional mandate to "...supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems of flight, with a view to their practical solution, and to determine the problems which should be experimentally attacked, and to discuss their solution and their application to practical questions" (Public Law 63-271). NACA's discoveries and inventions were made available to airplane builders and to the public. When NASA was founded in 1958, the practice continued.

Devices and techniques from the Space Age continue to make our lives better. Some NASA programs that were great contributions to the betterment of life on Earth have been spun off from NASA, but continue under new management. Many satellites are operated by private enterprises, especially communications satellites. Weather satellites are run by NOAA, and many remote sensing satellites, like Landsat, are shared by NASA and the Department of the Interior. This bibliography will provide an overview of resources on how NASA has made the world a better place.

All items are available at the Headquarters Library, except as noted. NASA Headquarters employees and contractors: call (358-0172) or email Library@hq.nasa.gov for information on borrowing or in-library use of any of these items. Members of the public, contact your Local Library for the availability of these items. NASA Headquarters employees can request additional materials or research on this topic. The Library welcomes your comments or suggestions about this webpage.

Books

Baker, David. Scientific American Inventions From Outer Space: Everyday Uses for NASA Technology. New York, NY: Random House, 2000.

T212 .B33 2000 BOOKSTACKS

 

Bijlefeld, Marjolijn, and Robert L. Burke, Jr. It Came From Outer Space: Everyday Products and Ideas From the Space Program. Westport, CT : Greenwood Press, 2003.

TL865 .I83 2003 BOOKSTACKS

 

Hardersen, Paul S. The Case for Space: Who Benefits From Explorations of the Last Frontier?. Shrewsbury, MA: ATL Press, 1997.

QB500.262 .H37 1997 BOOKSTACKS

 

Tomayko, James E. Computers in Spaceflight: The NASA Experience. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Scientific and Technical Information Division, 1988.

QA76.15 .E56 T65 1988 BOOKSTACKS

Covers how NASA developed image processing and flight simulation software. Also available through NTRS as document no. 19880069935.

 

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Office of Public Affairs. NASA Hits: How NASA Improves Our Quality of Life. Washington, DC: NASA Public Affairs Office, 2004.

T173.4 .N59 2004 BOOKSTACKS

Note: This is also available as a flash presentation.

 

United States Space Foundation. Space Spinoff Technologies. Colorado Springs, CO: United States Space Foundation, 1996.

T173.4 .S63 S65 1996 BOOKSTACKS

 

Warnecke, Lisa. NASA as a Catalyst: Use of Satellite Data in the States. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Mission to Planet Earth, 1997.

G70.5 .U6 W37 1997 BOOKSTACKS

Also available through NTRS as document no. 19970028985.

Journals

Aerospace America

 

Aerospace Engineering

 

Aviation Week and Space Technology

 

NASA Tech Briefs

 

Spinoff

 

Technological Innovation

Internet Resources

Dowdy, Jim. NASA Solutions. 2005 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://www.nasasolutions.com/index.html

 

Dunbar, Brian. Life on Earth. 4 Sept. 2007. [5 Sept. 2007].

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/features/index.html

 

Glover, Daniel R. NASA Experimental Communications Satellites. 12 April 2005 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://roland.lerc.nasa.gov/~dglover/sat/satcom2.html

 

International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Service. 26 June 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/

 

Bar-Sever, Yoaz. NASA Global Differential GPS System. 15 June 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://www.gdgps.net/index.html

 

Morris, Christopher. NASA Search and Rescue Mission Office. 31 Aug 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://searchandrescue.gsfc.nasa.gov/sar.html

 

NASA Tech Briefs. 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://www.techbriefs.com/

 

Sample, Sharron. Applied Sciences Program. 12 March 2007. [5 Sept. 2007].

http://science.hq.nasa.gov/earth-sun/applications/index.html

 

Turner, Janelle. NASA Innovative Partnerships Program. 7 Aug. 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://ipp.nasa.gov/index.html

 

__________. Spinoff. 10 July 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/

 

__________. Technology Innovation. 6 March 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://ipp.nasa.gov/innovation/index.html

 

Venus, Hope. NASA TechFinder. 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://technology.nasa.gov/

 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Satellites. 28 Feb. 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://www.noaa.gov/satellites.html

 

Space Foundation. Space Technology Hall of Fame. 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://www.spacetechhalloffame.org/

 

The Ultimate Space Place. NASA Spinoffs: Bringing Space down to Earth. 2004 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html

 

US Geological Survey. Landsat Project. 19 July 2007 [5 Sept. 2007].

http://landsat.usgs.gov/index.php