AT THE STADIUM...Helmet Padding

It's late in the 4th quarter. The home team trails by four points. The star halfback gets a handoff, straight up the middle. WHAM! He's met by the middle linebacker in a ground-shaking head-on collision! OUCH! Is the halfback hurt? Will he get up to carry on the fight for his team?

The bodies unpile. Yes - there he is! He hops up and trots back to the huddle. On the next play he throws a halfback pass to the tight end - TOUCHDOWN!

The crowd goes wild! Everybody's so excited they don't even think about how the halfback's head was cushioned by helmet padding made from aircraft passenger seats - developed by NASA's Ames Research Center!

Later in the week in the same stadium, baseball and soccer teams will use the same NASA technology as chest protectors and shin guards.