The Dustbuster - Back in the 1970s, NASA Apollo astronauts were busy taking samples of the moon’s crust to send back to Earth.
Athletic Wear Fabrics - Fabrics developed to keep astronauts protected from the inhospitable environment of space have found their way into athletic wear and outdoor apparel.
Scratch-Resistant Lenses - When the FDA mandated in 1972 that all eyeglasses had to be shatter-resistant, manufacturers replaced glass lenses with plastic.
Cold-Resistant Tires - NASA designed a portable workbench on wheels dubbed the Modularized Equipment Transporter, or MET.
Memory Foam - NASA originally developed memory foam to improve the comfort and safety of astronaut seats.
Aluminized Polymer Insulation - The shiny film was so efficient at reflecting radiation that companies began using it as insulation in homes and commercial buildings.
Elements of Consumer Laptops - NASA added its tech to an early laptop in the mid-1980s. On a Space Shuttle mission in 1983, NASA astronauts first used the Shuttle Portable Onboard Computer or SPOC.