One Giant Leap: Iconic and Inspiring Space Race Inventions that Shaped History

By: Charles Pappas

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Synopsis: On July 20, 1969, Americans had their eyes and ears glued to their TVs and radios. NASA&’s successful moon landing left the nation in awe. This moment inspired inventors and engineers across the nation. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1969 moon landing, we share with you 20 patents that were inspired by the space race and how they reshaped the world. Featuring the original patent schematics from the US Patent and Trademark Office, blast off with the inventions inspired by the moon landing including:Memory foam Freeze-dried food Firefighting equipmentEmergency "space blankets"DustBustersCordless toolsProtective paint (Used on both the Statue of Liberty, a gigantic Buddha in Hong Kong and the Golden Gate) Cochlear implantsLZR Racer swimsuitsCMOS image sensorsMoon dust as fuel for space travel Carbon nanotubesPocket calculatorsOther patents in the book reflect the general surge in space-related inventions in that era:Dispersed space based laser weaponToy ray gunsFlying saucersPropulsion systemsLasersThe modem Integrated circuitAstro Lamp (Later called the Lava Lamp)