Shock absorbers originally used to protect spacecraft and launch pad equipment during the extreme conditions of shuttle launches are now bracing hundreds of buildings and bridges in earthquake-prone regions all over the world. These dampers can be installed during the original construction or added later to protect an older building. And they are effective — so far not one building with the dampers has suffered even minor damage during an earthquake.
Rockets use liquid hydrogen and oxygen fuel to blast off. It’s highly flammable by design — but in case of emergency, even moments before launch, the fuel needs to be siphoned out quickly. To allow that to happen, the fuel lines remain connected to the vehicle almost to the last second and then swing out of the way. NASA designed special shock absorbers to ensure they don’t smash into the service tower, and these have found important uses outside the space industry.
Learn more about how NASA helped develop technology that impacts earthquake dampers within your city's public safety environment!