Instant noodles, virtual reality, and space technology

By Framelia V. Anonas
MediaCore, PCASTRD

It seems an odd mix, and you may not realize it—the noodles you prepare for a quick meal puts you in the league of astronauts. Thanks to space technology and its expanding applications, the convenience of cooking instant meals originally purposed for men in space is now enjoyed by just anyone. 

Designed for men in space who have to beat zero gravity hassles, dehydrated foods such as instant noodles are packaged as ready-to-eat, easily rehydrated, and handy. This is one delicious leap from the bland freeze-dried food that John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, had to squeeze out of aluminum tubes during mealtimes. 

Modern supermarket foods have evolved following space meal preparations—enriched, convenient, “ovenable”, and with locked-in flavor.  Wrapped in attractive and protective packaging material called mylar, processed foods retain freshness for long periods.  Perfect for earthlings who barely have the time to pop them into microwave ovens and call out, “dinner is served!”

Golf ball aerodynamics and virtual reality

Aside from its practical household uses, space technology has significantly taken off from its original military tactics and space exploration purposes.  Scientists and engineers continually harness space technology spin offs to help improve national security, productivity, economy, and lifestyle.

Unknown to many golf aficionados, for example, is that the rich-and-famous sport owe to space technology the amazing aerodynamics of golf balls. Using the technology in testing external tanks of space shuttles, engineers found out that the size, depth, and shape of golf ball dimples affect the ball's flight.  Large dimples, they learned, reduce air drag, enhance lift, and maintain spin for distance.  They also observed that small dimples prevent excessive lift that would destabilize ball flight, and medium-sized dimples balanced the characteristics of small and large dimples.

These findings led designers to significantly increase the number of dimples in golf balls and to include a variety of dimple sizes on each ball distributed strategically over the surface.  The result? Golf balls that go faster and farther, better scores, and a more enjoyable game.

When astronauts train for space flight, they hone skills in a contraption that simulates a spacecraft.  Trainees are figuratively projected into a computer-generated environment and, using stereo viewing device and customized software, they operate the virtual spacecraft as if in actual space flights. This telepresence experience was taken on by creative minds which spawned Ragnarok and other popular virtual reality games, as well as hordes of interactive computer training materials.

Space technology and crucial global issues

A cursory look at other space technology spin-offs brings us to numerous home, recreation, health and medicine, industrial productivity, and manufacturing technology products that greatly improve man's quality of life.

“Space technology has been used seriously to address many pressing concerns which have global impact,” says space technology expert Dr. Jose Edgardo Aban of the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development, an agency of the Department of Science and Technology.

“Specifically, the technology helps create awareness and understanding on critical issues such as changes in climate and earth system caused by diminishing earth resources, population growth, greenhouse effect, and loss of species' diversity. Obviously, these issues affect all of us,” Dr. Aban explains.

Space technology uses tools such as satellites, sensors, radar, remote sensing, and geographic information systems (GIS) technologies to gather and analyze data in researches in agriculture, geography, medicine, and education among others.  The data generated in these studies are used in urban planning, environmental management, disaster preparedness, navigation and positioning, earth observation, weather forecasting, and hazard mitigation.

Typhoon development and signals, airline flights, ship navigation, and security activities are all dependent on maps taken from space through satellites.

Dr. Aban stresses that in terms of data collection about the environment, space technology offers faster methods that can be done repeatedly, thanks to satellite communications and the Internet. “This can hardly be accomplished through conventional ground data collection.  Space technology is quite practical and even profitable.”

Space technology can also save countless lives.  For instance, the El Niño-induced forest fires in Indonesia in1998 were detected early enough through smoke plumes that showed in maps generated through remote sensing.

Moreover, space technology applications provide enabling infrastructures that ensure enhanced communications and connectivity. This is especially vital in remote and inaccessible areas where connectivity can be a means to better governance, effective natural resources management, disaster reduction, and fostering economic growth.

Government support for space tech

The strength of space technology lies in its combination and synergy, not in competition, with conventional systems and other information and communication technology tools. Compatibility with institutional set ups is likewise a big success factor.  In places where space technology has made an impact, it is strongly supported by government policy, political leadership, and strategic alliances and cooperation.

In the Philippines, space technology is harnessed as an enabling technology to overcome the digital divide and for quicker services such as telemedicine, tele-education, disaster management, satellite mobile communications, satellite IP multicasting, and high accuracy positioning. Remote sensing and geospatial technologies are two space technology applications gaining popularity and relevant use in the country, Dr. Aban disclosed.

PCASTRD aims to develop experts, upgrade facilities, and support R&D projects in space technology applications.   It offers graduate and post-graduate scholarship programs in the fields of earth science and remote sensing.  It also supports the upgrading of library and laboratory facilities of network institutions.

Agency-supported R&D projects focus on disaster mitigation, food production, and health management that are used to monitor natural occurrences that may affect the lives of Filipinos.  These include monitoring of volcano movements and sea level, as well as identifying existing rice fields in the country, breeding grounds of mosquito and snails that cause malaria and schistosomiasis.

 So next time you reach into those shiny mylar bags for a mouthful of fresh corn chips, think of how much life has grown more convenient and safer through space technology.