Comments on: How NASA helped invent Silicon Valley

Technologies developed for planes and rockets have led to some of the most important commercial innovations to come out of California's heartland of the tech industry.

[scdecade]

Cancel NASA

NASA has long since outlived its usefulness. It's now just a government make-work welfare program for scientists. The ISS is ridiculous. Even NASA alumnae openly say that's it's produced absolutely no science to speak of. It's just another piece of government pork. It's in the wrong orbit to serve as a launching platform for ex-planetary missions. That was a "political" decision. And Orion. Haha - do we really need to re-create Apollo 40 years later? Um, no. I'd cast my vote to cancel NASA tomorrow.

[dba7]

cancel NASA, cancel US's leadership

so if NASA's gone, where will the scientists/tech in NASA go? private companies? foreign companies? whatever lead US has in space/tech is partly supported by NASA.

[jessadam]

More than manned space missions

I guess you don't realize or have forgotten NASA is more than manned space missions. Besides robotic missions to Mars, Saturn, comets and asteroids that deliver a tremendous amount of scientific discoveries, NASA has satellites orbiting the Earth collecting data that will benefit you (yes, you the taxpayer) in one way or another. If you rephrase your statement to say that NASA manned missions should be canceled, you'd probably get fewer arguments to the contrary for reasons you've stated. So far the Mars rovers haven't shown signs of alcohol abuse or vengeful jealousy. So far.

[Sparky650]

Antiquated Flying Machines

I agree with this statement as I read articles describing engineers searching ebay for shuttle parts decades out of production. For a entity that receives such ridiculous funding they should have a couple dozen new tech vehicles for exploration instead of 1950's tech they still emply.

[AlexanderNY]

NASA should re-define its strategic priorities to stay competitive

50th Anniversary of a Space age is an important milestone in human?s history. Space technology now is in mature stage and it?s a right time for NASA to redefine the priorities and set new strategic goals. The commercialization of Space and Space technologies is a biggest challenge of our days and NASA should think seriously of how to ride this wave instead of diving into the pure academic highly theoretical domain of Space exploration.

Two major principles of global competitiveness, universally applicable to any industry, including space exploration, are as simple as this:

1. Do something so revolutionary new and profitable, that no one else in world can do, OR;

2. Do the same that others are doing, but do it more cost effectively.

Hopefully, NASA will follow these simple guidelines to preserve its leadership position in Space.

[cefran]

Apollo Program

The LEM simulator was an ingenious device. The full size mock-up was wired to a computer which allowed the operators, looking out the windows to simulate flying the LEM. As they moved the controls, the view would change accordingly. The display was an aerial image projected into the inside of huge spherical mirrors covering the LEM windows.

[nptdbw]

ancient history

too bad this story is all about ancient history. the last time nasa invented anything was when?? can't wait for the iPhone to end up on their spin-offs list!

[mexnerd]

We wouldn't be where we are now w/out it

We owe a lot to the space program. Yes, we would have eventually gotten to where we are now in terms of computing power, the Internet, etc but it would have happened years later (perhaps as much as 10-15 years). Recall that prior to the space program, computers took up whole buildings. The effort to miniaturize computing and other advances paid off enormously.

[RickNekus]

Re: How-NASA-helped-invent-Silicon-Valley

...thats a little like saying hey "Nortel Networks and fibre-optics data communications helped re-invent the Internet"
-its kinda an old given considering (Super)Computers helped put NASA into Space.

ya I know, "the glass is half-emty"
:)

[Honolulululu]

How NASA helped invent Silicon Valley (with help from next door as well)

It should be noted, that right next door to Moffett, for the last 52 years, was/is Lockheed Missiles and Space Co...a tech powerhouse that was one of the key founders of Silicon Valley. LMSC invented the 1st multi-mission satellite bus, the Agena.
Approximately 365 Agena spacecrafts supporting a wide variety of missions from NASA's early interplanetary efforts; the US Navy's SeaSat; to the USAF's Corona (the nation's first photoreconnaissance satellite system, collecting both intelligence and mapping imagery) were launched between January 1959 and February 1987.
The Polaris program, the world's 1st submarine-launched ballistic missile, started development in 1956, with its first flight test in 1958. The Polaris has evolved through Polaris (A2), Polaris (A3), Poseidon (C3) Trident I (C4) and ongoing with today's Trident II (D5). All of this and much more without the help of computers. Then......
CADAM (Computer Augmented Design And Manufacturing) is a CAD related product that was developed by Lockheed in Sunnyvale, Ca.
The nearby Lockheed Palo Alto Research Labs invented Dialog Information Services, the world's 1st searchable professional information database decades before Google.
Regardless of your views about these products impact, you must admit this effort took engineering brilliance never seen before, anywhere.....

[thecatch]

Aviation In Los Angeles also played a role

Leer, Hughes, North American Aviation & RAND Corporation out of
Los Angeles also played a role in the 50's-60's, they had many of
the first software stand-outs. It was mainly IBM machines being
used, and those machines were made with very little software to
run them.

The Silicon Valley history museum is writing the history as if
everything came from the Valley. To be expected, but to bad for
that.

[Honolulululu]

How NASA helped invent Silicon Valley (with help from next door as well)

It should be noted, that right next door to Moffett, for the last 52 years, was/is Lockheed Missiles and Space Co...a tech powerhouse that was one of the key founders of Silicon Valley. LMSC invented the 1st multi-mission satellite bus, the Agena.
Approximately 365 Agena spacecrafts supporting a wide variety of missions from NASA's early interplanetary efforts; the US Navy's SeaSat; to the USAF's Corona (the nation's first photoreconnaissance satellite system, collecting both intelligence and mapping imagery) were launched between January 1959 and February 1987.
The Polaris program, the world's 1st submarine-launched ballistic missile, started development in 1956, with its first flight test in 1958. The Polaris has evolved through Polaris (A2), Polaris (A3), Poseidon (C3) Trident I (C4) and ongoing with today's Trident II (D5). All of this and much more without the help of computers. Then......
CADAM (Computer Augmented Design And Manufacturing) is a CAD related product that was developed by Lockheed in Sunnyvale, Ca.
The nearby Lockheed Palo Alto Research Labs invented Dialog Information Services, the world's 1st searchable professional information database decades before Google.
Regardless of your views about these products impact, you must admit this effort took engineering brilliance never seen before, anywhere.....

[czmyt]

Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.

Strange that there is no mention of Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., perhaps the largest single technology employer in the area from the late 50's through the 90's. At its height, I believe that Lockheed employed nearly 20,000 people in Sunnyvale and Palo Alto. Among those who grew up in the Valley and went to work in the high-tech industry, how many of them had parents who worked for Lockheed? My guess is a lot.

[Honolulululu]

re: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.

it was closer to 30,000 at it's peak, when including the Santa Cruz Mt test facility. The technology invented there was world-changing. They also invented and perfected "hit-to-hit" kinetic-energy missile defense in the 1980's (HOE) which is now used by most ballistic missile defense systems world-wide. It is my belief that because Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. became Lockheed Martin, and thus not politically correct, in one of the most PC areas on earth, their long and rich history is often ignored....

[akvish]

NASA gave System-of-Systems Platform

If one analyses carefully, NASA gave many "platforms"
of System-of-Systems to take advantage of fast evolving
technologies. One needs a big-daddy to fund, set a
breeding ground & nurture frontier bleeding edge
technologies. I think when an agency ages, competancy
to setup platforms may erode; because comptency is
built with basic science & math that exploit technology.
This is where NASA can potentially be stuck, unable
to change track & hence unable to define new platforms
to exploit. NASA has to dig deep. It is not easy.
Wright Bros. set the stage for NASA & not the other
way. ...and this is the crucial missing link as we
enter 21st century. Where is next Wright Bros. in
NASA's backyard? As we speak, NASA needs to be aware
of next crucial race: Flying Car! NASA is about
1.5 decades behind in thinking on this. Flying Car
is one of the next System-of-Systems platform.
We don't need no James Bond to figure this out,
do we? NASA has it all but unable to look within
& re-define itself.

[TheSwimp]

Does NASA re-write History?

I remember reading in the San Jose Mercury, years
ago, how Varian and Associates, with RADAR work
from WWII, had started the Electronics Industry
around Palo Alto and Sunnyvale, which was later
seconded by Fairchild Semiconductor, subsidiary
of Fairchild Camera I believe. with increasing
numbers of others, largely making War Industry
apparatus and electronics parts - the Actual
Leavening of 'Silicon Valley'. If I remember
right, NASA wasn't even mentioned for flowering
of Electronics and High Tech related Industry
which grew up in San Jose/Santa Clara/Sunnyvale/
Palo Alto area. //
I lived in East San Jose and as a boy returning
from the grocery on my bike had witnessed the
crash of two Navy Jets almost over head, circa
1960, which prompted the move of the Naval Air
Station at Moffet inland, a departure which then
allowed NASA-Ames to expand greatly and flower at
the Mountain View site of a former Naval Base. //
My understanding is that NASA was been typically
applying using Existing DERIVATIVE Technology,
fall-out from Military Hardware Designs, Parts
and Production Methods. //
I think NASA's Main Product has been Gee-Whiz
Propaganda and was so successful at this that a
Generation or Two of Children grew up mistakenly
thinking that a Very Low Orbit, Upper Atmosphere Skimming, Unable-for-Deep-Space-Flight Vehicle -
The Space Shuttle - was a Space Ship, even to an
extent that Science Programs, especially those
targeting youth in part, would often show diagrams
and graphics, sometimes even crayon drawings made
by Children, suggesting the Space Shuttle in some
Interplanetary or at least trans-Lunar Flight! //
In the late 1990's someone took a check on the
Annual Patent Output of NASA vs General Electric,
which had similar sized technically trained work
forces, with NASA having about six in a year but
General Electric about 6000. Perhaps NASA is NOT
such an Innovator after all, but just a well-paid
contract-candy dispenser for Private US Aerospace
Industry?! //
NASA has certainly been a Great Political SHOW
Machine! //
Hasn't NASA at times has bought a small company
or two - compare with Microsoft putatively doing
similar - having some innovation it wanted, so
making itself LOOK More Inventive than it was? //
In the late 1990s I read NASA claims of its new
inventions as it presented them on the Net, and -
WOW! - It was AMAZING how year after year, small
variations on control or application of the Nolan
Electric Motor Controller, could be counted as
a new, independent inventions. //
In MY Opinion, NASA's most poignant moment in
History was NOT the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, nor
the Apollo 13 Cliff Hanger, but in my estimation
was the culmination of its prepping of the media,
the nation and the world, for America's "Teacher
in SPACE", with defiant launch of the Challenger
into disaster against advice of some Concerned
Morton-Thiokol Engineers (later 'flushed out' to
please NASA?!?!) who were fearful that between
section SSB Seals might lack enough flexibility
properties because of the cool weather in which
the Shuttle had been standing waiting for launch,
allegedly, according to some rumors at the time, "Just so Chimpsidork Raygun could then Hoot on
a Phone Link to the Teacher in Space!" [had the
mission actually succeeded in making orbit!] on
National TV from his Snake-of-the-Bunion Podium...
I wonder how much of that is actually true! //
Remember, ex-Elite-NAZI von Braun ACTUALLY guided
the creation of a functional Trans-Lunar, and
potentially interplanetary Space System (had it a
meassure of further development), The Saturn V/II
etc Apollo MOON Rocket Vehicle ... // What has
"Man-In-Space" done since, except repair Hubble,
a laudable act, or a few other satellites, and
bring sections, equipment and people to the
International Space Station 'Zeta' (They wanted
us to call it 'ALPHA' making it seem First, but
in fact there was an American Sky or Space Lab,
launched by The Last Operational Saturn, at last
brought down over Australia as its orbit decayed
- if I remember correctly) or a few small Soviet
stations - Salyut and Mir - which existed prior
to ISS 'Alpha' and served over a number of years
of Earth-Hugging 'Space Exploration'. //
LOOK!: A Station orbiting Mars just as closely as
ISS does Earth would be called a 'MARS Station'!
Likewise the ISS shoul;d be seen, in my less than
humble stimation, as the Low-Orbit EARTH Station,
NOT a "Space Station"! Ciao!
Gary - http://pw1.netcom.com/~mthorn/divinepr.htm
-------------------------------------------------

[aintnorainbowdorothy]

Nasa and Silly Valley

Nasa certainly helped Silly Valley (anyone who has lived there knows the phrase). And as pointed out in another post, the Los Angeles area also. But you also need to include Alabama, Texas, Florida and other places, including the former Soviet Union. For those who want to complain about the cost of the program, remember that nearly all value from NASA that has come from its' budget has been returned five to seven times over, depending upon whom you research. Think Teflon, a direct invention designed to aid the space flights. Could you live without it? Or the use of Velcro, invented earlier but put into general use by NASA. Microelectronics; things nano, which are becoming everpresent. I want NASA. They need things. People invent them and then the general public gets them either at the same time or slightly later. NASA, along with the U.S. Military forces have been the great drivers of innovation. We need government money for these drivers. But we also need private money especially that of Venture Capital. Combine those two, along with people in a garage, where Hewlitt and Packard began HP, and great things happen. Bill Gates certainly stole ideas, but he took them, twisted them and made them much better. Apple is behind the curve because they don't allow innovation: blocked iPhones anyone one? Government, private money and people of all ages inventing things in their garages are needed. And all three mesh together.

[Ian Joyner]

Twisted?

aintnorainbowdorothy manages to weave a pro-microsoft anti-
apple statement into an unrelated story: "Bill Gates certainly stole
ideas, but he took them, twisted them and made them much better.
Apple is behind the curve because they don't allow innovation:
blocked iPhones anyone one?"

That's a twisted view of history and reality.

[AlexanderNY]

50th Anniversary of Space Age: unique Commemorative postcard

Unique Commemorative postcard developed by Dr. Alexander Bell is available online for view/download at: http://www.alexanderbell.us/Docs/Sputnik50_Postcard_A3259.doc
Everybody can use it for non-commercial purpose: it?s free for all. Let?s celebrate this milestone in human?s history: 10.04.1957 ? 10.04.2007

You can also preview the image on the front page at: http://www.alexanderbell.us/Custom_Images/Sputnik50_Postcard.jpg

In addition to this the slide show of the old Soviet Space exploration Post stamps is available online (warning for viewers: folks, beware of commie propaganda embedded in that old stamps of Soviet era):
http://www.alexanderbell.us/Photos.aspx?AlbumID=7
http://www.alexanderbell.us/Details.aspx?AlbumID=7

[TomMariner]

Camelot

Once upon a time there was a US President that set a goal of going to the moon "before the end of the decade". The goal was beaten by six months and the entire world understood the guts and intelligence it took the country to succeed and knew the benefits that would roll out of the accomplishment.

Then the mighty nation slept for 40 years while other nations learned the lesson that those who dare and venture and build reap great economic and power profits. When the "nation that once did" finally woke up they found that they had forgotten how to get to the moon. And so they made excuses that it didn't make any difference anyway and turned back to watching billion dollar sports teams on plasma televisions they soon would no longer be able to afford.

Then one of the other nation's leader declared that his citizens would walk on the moon within a decade. And the rest of the world knew the benefits that would come from that countries daring and wondered whatever became of that once bold country that slept for so long.