The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) offers more than 800 software programs that can be downloaded for free in order to create a new company, improve an existing product, create a new line of products, or get a competitive edge in the market.

The 2021-22 NASA Software Catalog classifies the programs into 15 different categories, including: crew and life support, electronics and electrical power, aeronautics, propulsion, data and image processing, environmental science, autonomous systems, and data servers processing and handling.

Software developed by NASA… for free

The NASA software featured in the catalog is available for use at no cost. Its list of programs is ever expanding and there are regular version updates.

This free software is part of NASA’s Technology Transfer Program, which aims to ensure that innovations developed in its research projects are widely available, maximizing the benefit.

The Agency says that two of its programs have been adapted and used by entrepreneurs, other government agencies, and researchers, among others.

These are TetrUSS and WorldWind.

TetrUSS is the most awarded software in the history of NASA. It’s a suite of computer programs used for fluid dynamics and aerodynamics analysis and design.

These programs allow engineers to design the shape of an aircraft to minimize drag, thus maximizing fuel efficiency.

The software is widely used to minimize carbon footprint in other government organizations, the aerospace industry, academia, and non-aerospace industries, such as automotive, biomedical, and civil engineering.

WorldWind is a software development kit for assisting developers in the creation of geographical information systems. Common use cases for this program are monitoring weather patterns and visualizing cities and terrain.

It’s also been used for tracking ground vehicles, analyzing geospatial data, flight tracking, satellite tracking, and geographical education.

WorldWind visualizes NASA data using a virtual globe similar to a video game, which allows users to zoom from the height of the satellite to any point on the planet’s surface.

Recently, in the month of May, NASA itself announced that Mexico was experiencing its worst drought in 30 years. Using images from NASA’s Earth Observatory and other data, the Agency also determined the low capacity of large dams across the country.

According to Technology Transfer Program Executive Dan Lockney, entrepreneurs, business owners, academics, universities, or government agencies could solve real problems by making use of NASA’s software repository.

“In the race to mitigate the effects of human-made climate change, human-made technology can be a key advantage,” Lockney said in a NASA statement.

How do I request a software code?

To get your hands on software codes from NASA, which will send two missions to Venus in 2028 and 2030, you need to create an account or log into an existing account.

Then, you will have to select the “Request Software” button below the item description in the software catalog entry.

Complete the request form and fill in all the required fields before submitting your request.

Requests are automatically directed to the Software Release Authority (SRA) at the relevant Center for processing.

Many NASA Open Source software codes and mobile apps provide a URL link so that the requester can download the software directly.

If all goes well, the person identified in the request will receive an email notification within five working days indicating that the Software Use Agreement is ready for review and signature. (With information from NASA)