Memory Foam Beds From Outer Space

by: M. O'Brien

Microwave ovens, satellite television, non-stick cookware and Velcro are just a few of the products brought to us through advancements in the space program. Yet another product from outer space is what has come to be referred to as memory foam. This unique material has been finding its way into all sorts of products including upholstered products. But no where has the impact been as big as in the incorporation of memory foam into sleep mattresses.

This makes sense since the original design intention of the foam was for use by astronauts as a way to sleep in space. As an example of a successful failure, the foam was never used in space for several very critical reasons, not the least of which was the high level of chemical out-gassing. This process introduced levels of chemical contamination that were not conducive to the clean-room atmosphere of the average spacecraft. Materials that are approved for manned spaced flight must meet a critical level of cleanliness and must be free from residual chemicals and other substances.

The good news for many sleepers is that memory foam was found to make an excellent material for sleeping right here on planet Earth. Since the nineteen seventies, a search was on to find an appropriate use for this unique and very dense foam. The answer came in the form of several brands of mattresses that incorporated some amount of memory foam into the design. Now memory foam can be found inside the mattress and outside conventional mattresses in the form of add-on pads that can add a layer of foam to almost any sized bed.

Memory foam is quite dense compared to other foam materials and can mold itself to the body in ways that other bedding materials simply can not. There can be vast differences in one manufacturers memory foam mattress to that of another manufacturer. The variances can include the overall thickness of the material, hardness, and quality. The density of the foam can be compared by looking at the weight per cubic foot of material. There is a big difference between material that is three pounds per cubic foot and material that is four pounds per cubic foot.

As a general rule the greater the density of the foam, the more expensive the mattress. The overall quality of a memory foam mattress may depend on the other materials used, since the layer of memory foam may only make up two to four inches of the overall thickness of the mattress. Memory foam can be found atop traditional inner spring designs that are than wrapped in latex foam with visco-elastic foam placed on top, all encased in a traditional mattress covering.

Just like everyone who tries out to be an astronaut, not every product developed for the space program actually makes that cut. Visco-elastic memory foam was one of those inventions but luckily it made the cut in a way that has benefited everyone interested in a good nights sleep.

About the Author

M. O'Brien