#NASA doesn’t get enough credit for spinoffs created from their technology projects

I am concerned with NASA’s future now that I observed the takeoff of the last space shuttle last week.

Photo from NASA Facebook page

I just came across a link on AOL about 10 NASA technologies from the Space shuttle and it prompted me to write this info in my blog.

Article that prompted this blog post

A case in point-Our company HNU/PID was started in the early 1970’s as a result of a NASA photoionization mass spectrometry (PIMS) project in the late 1960’s

I was recognized recently with an “Outstanding Achievement Award” from the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society for the development of the first handheld photoionization (PID). This product , that has saved thousands of lives of workers involved in cleaning up hazardous waste sites, in the 80’s was created as a result of NASA’s investment in PIMS technology in the 1960’s. The hand held PID was the star of EPA’s superfund program in the 80’s and 90’s and saved many lives during the largest industrial hygiene project in the world. The PID was also selected by the EPA in the late 1970’s as a method for developing lower cost and more sensitive method for analyzing volatile organics in drinking water. Since HNU was started we have sold more than 50,000 PID’s and saved many lives.

Cape Cod Times Article


With the cancellation of the space shuttle program, many of my colleagues and I wonder where NASA is going. Technology is the engine that helped make this country great and it is technology that will keep this country competitive in the future.

If you have a similar story, or feel strongly about NASA’s future please publicize it and write a letter to your congressmen & senators.

Dr. Jack Driscoll
Sandwich, MA