How did NASA revolutionize diaper technology for good?

The pursuit of groundbreaking goals, like reaching the moon or investigating the birth of the universe, often results in innovations with diverse applications. Memory foam, initially developed by NASA in 1966 to cushion airplane seats, has since found its way into Tempur-Pedic mattresses, football helmets, shoes, hospital beds, prosthetics, cars, amusement parks, and even contemporary art.

NASA has also played a key role in improving existing technologies. Its engineers enhanced bar code readers, created more precise quartz clocks, and developed smoke detectors with adjustable sensitivity. The digital image enhancement technology, now commonly seen in shows like 'CSI Miami,' was pioneered by NASA in the 1960s to refine images of the moon's surface. Later, medical scanners incorporated this technology to improve image resolution, leading to the misconception that NASA invented MRI and CT scans [source: NASA].

NASA's influence on diaper technology was more understated than many realize.

The need for adult diapers arose out of necessity. Astronauts, floating outside their spacecraft on long spacewalks (lasting five to eight hours), can't simply take bathroom breaks. During launch, astronauts are strapped into seats for hours, with their knees and legs raised above their heads—positioning that increases the urge to urinate. Despite dehydration, the kidneys will still release about a milliliter of urine per minute. NASA estimates astronauts lose nearly a liter of urine while in launch position [source: O'Driscoll].

To tackle this issue, NASA created the urine collection and transfer assembly (UCTA), an early version of the adult diaper used by astronauts during the early space program and Apollo missions [source: Sauer and Jorgensen]. The UCTA was worn over the astronaut's liquid cooling garment and connected to the astronaut via a roll-on cuff, with a collection bag that could be emptied into a tank through a one-way valve [source: Smithsonian]. Separate systems were in place for astronauts to relieve themselves outside of launch or extravehicular activities.

In the next section, we'll explore why NASA shifted to using adult diapers for space suit relief and how this decision impacted the diaper industry back on Earth.

From the Earth to the Moon, or from Houston to Orlando to Store Shelves

Space waste disposal presents a number of unique challenges. Any effective solution must function in both gravity and zero-gravity environments, while also fitting within the strict size, weight, and power limitations of spacecraft systems.

After numerous trials and adjustments in the early days of space exploration, NASA astronauts found the UCTA to be too cumbersome, unhygienic, and prone to failure. As a result, they created the Maximum Absorbency Garment, or MAG, for the shuttle program.

Though commonly referred to as space diapers, MAGs are more like ultra-absorbent cycling shorts. A series of thin layers rapidly move urine away from the body, while sodium polyacrylate, a super absorbent polymer (SAP), traps the moisture, holding up to 400 times its weight in liquid. A MAG can absorb up to 2 liters (2.1 quarts) of liquid [source: O'Driscoll]. In an emergency, an astronaut can go for 8 to 10 hours without needing a change [source: Gekas].

NASA was not responsible for the invention of disposable diapers, adult diapers, sodium polyacrylate, or SAPs. Therefore, it’s unsurprising that many adult diaper companies claim that NASA had no influence on their products. However, there is one ironic exception to this.

In 2007, astronaut Lisa Nowak brought NASA’s "diapers" into the media spotlight when she was charged with attempting to kidnap U.S. Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman in Orlando, Fla. Early reports claimed Nowak drove 950 miles (1,529 kilometers) across five states while wearing an astronaut diaper to avoid bathroom stops [source: Fromm]. Later court filings revealed that two used toddler-sized diapers were found in Nowak's vehicle, along with several packs of diapers in her trunk. Nowak, a mother of three, denied wearing a diaper on the trip, claiming the diapers were from 2005, when she and her family, along with the rest of Houston, evacuated before Hurricane Rita’s arrival [source: Schneider].

There was one positive outcome from the Nowak saga: As Steve Goelman, CEO of Unique Wellness, explained, it motivated his company to develop adult diapers inspired by NASA designs. Goelman’s company sought a durable garment that, similar to the MAG, would rapidly wick moisture away from the skin and lock it in, preventing skin irritation and other health issues.

"It is only through NASA's technology and concept that we were able to bring this to life and apply it to the healthcare sector," said Goelman.

Goelman believes Nowak’s story may have also helped reduce the stigma surrounding adult incontinence, while also raising awareness of other uses for adult diapers, such as among race car drivers and skiers.

It just proves that you never know where a great idea might come from.