Hubble Space Telescope Helping Improve Technology

The Hubble Space Telescope is probably the furthest thing from your mind if you're about to go skating. However, Hubble's telescope science is in fact playing a role in even the most mundane aspects of our lives here on Earth. In this article, we'll discuss how the technology that launched the Hubble is being used to improve our earthly quality of life.

From outer space to deep sea diving, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed many aspects of how we live. By working with NASA, one company developed a suit for protecting divers who are called on to work in extreme and dangerous conditions, such as high pressure, toxic chemical spills, hot water and chemical warfare agents.

When designing the diving suits, the company imitated the air flow in a space suit helmet, cooling undergarment systems to remove excess body heat, computer codes for thermal and airflow analysis, and materials that have been developed for the aerospace industry that are resistant to extreme chemical and temperature environments. The result was a suit used by divers in extreme environments, including those worn by men and women in the United States Navy.

Technology intended for space telescopes has made an enormous difference in sports, medicine, transportation and ecology. In addition to changing how we see the universe and our place in it, the Hubble Space Telescope has impacted life here on Earth.

Because of NASA's recent maintenance missions to the sky telescope, it is expected to extend Hubble's life by approximately five years. With scientists and engineers watching every move, the sky's the limit when it comes to the research potential.

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