Back to the catalog
Spinoff story
Wool Mask to Fight Fires in Space Inspires Fire Equipment on Earth
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
Auckland, New Zealand-based Lanaco adapted one of its wool filters to prolong the life of the mask astronauts would wear in the event of a fire on the Orion spacecraft. Work on the project, through a Johnson Space Center contract with Jacobs Engineering Group, inspired Lanaco to develop filters for firefighting on Earth. The company expects the work will also inform its sheep breeding program, which aims to maximize the strengths of wool as a filter material.