"It is amazing how many things come back to the space program,” said Dr. Gary Balas, who heads the Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota. "Commercial technology builds on advances that were done 20 years ago. A lot of that technology was first developed back in the space program,” he said.

Space travel forces researchers and engineers to think up ways to make things smaller, lighter and more reliable. Space technology has created better engines and wings for airplanes, more accurate Doppler radar, and the satellites that broadcast live TV around the world. Space technology also has made golf balls more aerodynamic, while astronaut shoes led to the air now so common in our tennis shoes.

Other products that originated from space technology include: ergonomic furniture, compact electronics, smoke detectors, handheld vacuum cleaners, water filters, foam insulation, portable X-ray machines, programmable pacemakers, concentrated baby foods, freeze-dried instant mixes, scratch resistant lenses, flame retardant clothing, ultrasound scanners, and better breast cancer detection.

NASA says that for every dollar spent on space development, seven are returned to the economy in new products or services.