Everyone knows that many futuristic technologies are used in the aeronautic and aerospace fields. What many people may not realize is that some of these technologies have been repurposed within the automotive industry. Here are 10 space technologies that are used in today’s vehicles.
Carbon Fiber
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Carbon fiber is a flexible material similar to fabric, and it’s lighter and stronger than aluminum and steel as well as stretch resistant. This material was initially used to make nozzles and tips for missiles and rockets. However, its lightweight and strong structure has made it a popular material for vehicles. Manufacturers mix it with a polymer and mold the mixture into car parts such as aerodynamic kits, chassis, door frames, roof pillars and spoilers.
NACA Ducts
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Between 1915 and 1958, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was tasked with institutionalizing, conducting, and promoting aeronautical research prior to the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. During this time, it developed the engine cowl and airfoil series of ducts for aircrafts. However, the low-drag air intakes were ineffective for aircrafts because they couldn’t produce enough pressure during flight. Instead, the characteristics of the NACA ducts that made them insufficient for flight made them ideal for street-legal cars and racecars. The automotive industry uses them as cooling intakes for engines, and many Italian supercars have them, such as the Ferrari F40.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells
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Hydrogen fuel cells combine hydrogen gas and oxygen to generate power, and they only emit heat and water vapor. The process is similar to batteries, but unlike batteries, the electrodes are not consumed. This allows the fuel cells to produce electricity as long as hydrogen and oxygen are pumped into them. NASA originally used hydrogen fuel cells as a low-cost, sustainable source of power for spacecraft and satellites. Now the automotive industry makes fuel-cell vehicles, which are considered electric vehicles. The distance that they can travel and the refueling process make them more comparable to traditional vehicles than other electric cars.
GPS and Sat-Navs
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A global positioning system is a type of satellite navigation system that uses a portable radio receiver to detect signals traveling at the speed of light, emitted from satellites that are in orbit. Ground stations use radar to ensure that the satellites are where they should be. The receiver calculates the distance from four or more satellites to determine its local time, position and speed as well as a route between two points. The U.S. government originally developed GPS and sat-navs for launching and tracking Earth-orbiting satellites. Most automakers in the 21st century equip consumer vehicles with this technology.
Gold Foil Heat Shielding
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Gold foil heat shielding is a multilayer insulation that protects delicate instruments from extreme heat and radiation. The first time that it was used was on the lunar landers that the first astronauts to the moon used. NASA also chose this material for its durability and used it on some satellites as well. The technology was adopted in the McLaren F1 engine compartment to prevent the engine cover from being burned through. It protects the carbon fiber body panels and monocoque from the combustion heat and exhaust gases under the hood.
Aerogel
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Aerogel is a very lightweight, gel-like material, but rather than having a liquid component, it has a gas component. It’s one of the lightest solid materials in the world and is created by combining a polymer and a solvent and replacing the gel liquid with air. This makes the aerogel strong and gives it insulative properties. It’s also flexible and can be bent into a thin film. NASA used it in space suits and applied it to its Stardust spacecraft to collect the dust that floats around space. In the automotive industry, Chevrolet lined the transmission tunnel in the C7 Corvette with aerogel to protect it from the extreme temperatures that the engine produced.
Airless Tires
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Michelin developed these special tires, which it named Tweel tires. They are significant because they aren’t full of compressed air, so they can’t be punctured or ripped and remain unaffected by changes in pressure, gravity or temperature. This means that airless tires can maintain ground pressure and flexibility so that a vehicle can move across craters and loose soil. NASA used Tweel tires for its Lunar Rover project. Although Michelin is still testing variations of its Tweel tires for use on road-legal vehicles, airless tires are used in agricultural and industrial projects.
Robotic Arms
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In 1981, the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-2) was equipped with the Canadarm, a robotic arm developed in Canada in collaboration with NASA. It allowed astronauts to deploy and capture satellites, move cargo, position themselves on spacewalks and work on spacecraft. This made their space lives and duties much easier. The same technology that space programs use for robotic arms and that has improved over the years has made its way into the automotive industry. Carmakers use them on production lines to assemble vehicles. The robotic arms make vehicle assembly faster so that manufacturers can meet increasing demand. They can even handle delicate objects.
Heads-Up Displays
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An HUD is an optical mini processor that provides various information directly in the viewer’s line of sight, reducing eye movement and distractions. This technology was originally developed for military fighter jets, but it’s also used in space shuttles, giving the commander or pilot specific cues during the final phase of entry and final approach to the runway. The shuttle HUDs also shows altitude, speed, wind direction and other relevant details. Now car manufacturers plan to install HUDs in consumer vehicles, giving the drivers important information such as indicator arrows for directions, speed and warning signals in their line of sight so that they don’t look away from the road.
Fire-Proof Fabric
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Chemist Carl Marvel discovered the fire resistant characteristics of synthesized polybenzimidazole (PBI) in the late 1950s while serving in the Air Force. The Air Force Materials Laboratory and NASA sponsored several studies on PBI in 1963, recognizing its potential applications. However, it wasn’t until after three astronauts died in a training exhibition for the Apollo 1 program that NASA stepped up its development of fire-proof materials. Since then, PBI fabrics have been used for several civilian and military functions. In the automotive world, this technology is utilized in the creations of racing suits and braking systems.
Space exploration has prompted the development of numerous technologies that the auto industry has applied to commercial and consumer vehicles to enhance performance and safety and to make driving more convenient.
Do you think that some of these technologies are more interesting than others? Which ones, and why?
What kind of future improvements based on the current space tech would you like to see in future cars?