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Spinoff story
Early NASA “Dream Computer Program” Still Optimizes Designs
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
Half a century after it was created at Goddard Space Flight Center, NASTRAN remains at the cutting edge of computer-aided engineering as perhaps NASA’s most successful software spinoff. It has helped design everything from cars and turbines to buildings and roller coasters. Its code is also incorporated into many commercial programs, including Newport Beach, California-based MSC Software’s Apex platform, which makes modeling and simulation up to 10 times faster and allows computer-aided engineering to be introduced earlier in the design process.