Peter Cochrane's Video Blog: Tech blast-off

Hi, this is Peter Cochrane for silicon.com and today I'm at Orlando International airport. I've just driven the 50 miles or so up from Merritt Island and the Nasa site where I've been having a look at some of the technology. Every time I go there I can't help but be impressed. When you consider that JFK made his famous 'going to the moon' speech in 1961 and Neil Armstrong actually put his foot on the moon in 1969, just eight years later, it's quite amazing. But behind the scenes there was some incredible work. The first integrated circuits were laid down around 1959 to 1960 and by 1969 they really advanced, they made all the difference. You and I enjoy mobile phones and laptop computers and a lot of other things courtesy of the Nasa effort, which was immense. The media tend to remember Nasa because of non-stick frying pans and their materials programme. The programme is much wider and more than I can detail here but their contributions have been absolutely massive and I like to think of it like this - American women have spent more money on cosmetics in the same time period, than Nasa has spent on getting man to the moon and back, and all the benefits we receive. See you next time!