Space exploration has always pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. It has given us innovations that have drastically changed our everyday lives. Let’s explore six common technologies that we have thanks to space exploration.
Satellite Internet
Even people in the most remote areas today have access to high-speed internet. Satellite internet allows them to learn, work, and have fun. The demand for satellite internet has seen particularly significant growth during the pandemic when people had to stay in self-isolation.
You could stay at home and still chat with relatives, enjoy meeting in online pubs, or try a secure online casino.
Today Starlink aims to provide internet coverage to rural regions, islands, and developing countries. The low Earth orbit of the satellites helps reduce latency (the time delay in data transmission) compared to traditional geostationary satellites. Starlink has been developed by SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk.
Fast GPS Navigator
Asking artificial intelligence to find the way to any point in a city or world and to build the optimal route now seems like such a basic task that it’s hard to imagine life without it. However, without the competition between countries in space, people might still travel with paper maps.
The idea of a satellite navigation system emerged in the late ’50s in the United States. American scientists noticed that the frequency of the radio signal varied with the satellite’s position in the sky. It increased as the object approached and decreased as it moved away. At that moment, it became clear that with this technology scientists could calculate the speed and coordinates of an object on Earth, and vice versa. Thus began the development of the GPS Navigator. Now, anyone can use a satellite navigation system. It is built into smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, and other devices.
Solar Panels
Solar panels are made up of many silicon cells. These solar cells use the photovoltaic effect to convert sunlight into electrical energy. When sunlight strikes the solar cells, they generate an electric current through the photovoltaic effect. Solar energy is a clean, renewable resource that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels. Besides, solar panels significantly reduce electricity bills over time. They do not cost much today and require minimal maintenance. The principle of converting light into electricity has been known since the 19th century. Still, the development and widespread adoption of solar panels have been significantly accelerated by space exploration.
Satellite TV
The history of satellite television began on July 10, 1962, when NASA launched the first communications satellite, Telstar-1, into orbit. The next day, it enabled the first satellite broadcast in the United States. Telstar-1 orbited in an elliptical path and provided a continuous signal for 20 minutes during each orbit around the planet. It could handle either one TV broadcast or 60 phone calls.
Today, you can catch the signal almost anywhere; all you need is a dish-shaped type of parabolic antenna. It captures a signal from space, converts it, and sends it to a satellite receiver, which decodes it into picture and sound. The unique shape of the satellite antenna wasn’t designed merely for aesthetics. The round shape helps to capture signals from different angles and directions
Wireless Devices
Car vacuum cleaners, blenders, drills, and other battery-powered equipment share a lineage with spacecraft. Their history traces back to 1961 when NASA approached Black & Decker with an unusual request. For the lunar expedition, astronauts required tools that could function independently of a network connection. While battery-powered devices existed, they were not suited for space. After extensive testing, Black & Decker developed a battery-powered rock drill capable of drilling and collecting lunar soil. This technology led to the creation of other projects that simplified life on Earth. For example, space exploration has contributed to the development of wireless medical devices, such as telemetry systems for monitoring astronauts’ health. These systems have applications in healthcare for remote patient monitoring and telemedicine.
As you can see, space exploration extends beyond scientific achievement and national prestige. It directly influences our daily lives, from blogging to family gatherings in front of the TV. In the future, we anticipate that Earth will benefit from additional technologies that will arise from further space exploration.