Ioonos

Just another day in space

Today's inventions or transfers of technologies

Researchers, engineers and industry are all continuously racking their brains in order to go faster and further in space exploration. But be aware that their inventions for life in space also benefit life on earth.

What do we mean by “transfers of technologies”?

Space generates hundreds of inventions, which, once they have been adapted and applied to earth, can change our lives!
In other words, when scientists manage to improve the Ariane launcher or any other space technology (satellites, rockets etc.), this enables new applications to be developed in other areas such as industry, medicine or the environment. For example, did you know that airbags in cars, dental appliances and solar panels are all applications of space technologies? There are many more examples, from the trivial to the vitally important. IOONOS offers you a selection…

The sun as a source of electricity

The discovery of the effect of light on semi-conductors dates back to the nineteenth century. Known as the photovoltaic effect, it enables the transformation of solar energy into electrical energy. The space industry was to use this effect more than a hundred years later to provide energy for its satellites.
Renewable sources of energy have now become a priority and solar technology is no longer only used in space programs. Solar panels are used on houses and in a wide variety of other applications, ranging from calculators to cars.

Airbags, developed for extra protection

An airbag is a kind of pouch that inflates instantly in order to protect the driver and passenger in the event of a frontal impact in a car. It has provided the biggest improvement in safety since the invention of seatbelts.
Sensors measure the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle and send this information to a microprocessor. When the microprocessor recognizes an impact, it sets off an explosion of gas that inflates the airbag.
The type of sensors used for airbags were first developed to direct satellites. As for the controlled explosion, it was directly inspired by the explosion that releases Ariane V from its launch pad!

A material with a memory used in dentistry

Materials that can remember shapes, such as nitinol (an alloy of nickel and titanium), have the surprising property of always returning to their original shape, even after being folded, twisted etc.
They are used in aerospace to make hinges for satellites and antennae that are folded at launch and then unfold in space.
A useful application for this has been found in orthodontics, with a dental appliances that exert continuous traction on teeth. Alloys that remember shape are also used as staples to reduce fractures, or to make spectacle frames, amongst many other applications.

No condensation and…no hands

When astronauts set off on a mission they are covered from head to toe. Their protective suits end with very thick gloves. So, no chance of scratching your ear, or wiping off the condensation that could form on your helmet!
A system was therefore invented to avoid the condensation of the humidity due to body heat, and so the helmets never steam up. This same system, originally intended for the astronauts on the Apollo missions, is now used in ski goggles.
Astronaut suits were designed to be resistant to the sun’s rays, and this has inspired new types of suits for fire fighters, with an innovative fabric and an integrated cooling system.