National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Astronomer's Toolbox

So... what have X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy ever done for ME? Very often, technologies developed for one purpose can be re-used in other ways. NASA has an active program to encourage this for technologies used in its research and exploration programs, to get the most out of each taxpayer dollar. It does this by allowing businesses to use NASA inventions.

In order for X-rays and gamma-rays coming from astronomical objects to be studied, very sensitive instruments must be developed. Astronomers always want more sensitivity, to be able to study fainter and more distant objects. So they are always designing and building better detector systems. These detectors, while developed to study distant objects in the Universe, have found to be useful as well here on Earth.

Give me some examples!