MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109 TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov
Contact: John G. Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 1998
NEEDS VITAL TO SPACE TRAVELERS FULFILLED IN NEW JPL-AFFILIATED
TOYS
Shelter, sustenance, communications and exploration gear --
in short, all the needs vital to a space traveler -- are provided
by a new toy line developed in collaboration with engineers and
scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
The educational product line, "Mars and Beyond Science
Exploration System," from Uncle Milton Industries Inc., Westlake
Village, CA, features a domed tent, a drink dispenser, walkie-
talkies and a robotic arm that extends to collect rocks and other
objects. The toys, which will eventually be augmented by
additional exploration gear and biological, geological and
chemical sampling test kits, are designed to enthuse and teach
youngsters about the space program. They have just begun to hit
specialty toy store shelves in recent weeks.
Uncle Milton Industries licensed the JPL logo and received
technical advice through the JPL Technology Affiliates Program,
which enables businesses to form strategic alliances with JPL to
license intellectual property and gain access to JPL's engineers
and scientists to help solve technological problems. To date,
more than 120 companies, large and small, have used the program
to solve upwards of 200 specific technology challenges.
"Educational toys can be a wonderful and creative way of
bringing the excitement of America's space exploration program to
children of all ages," explained Merle McKenzie, manager of JPL's
Commercial Technology and Regional Development Program. Each
autumn, the program hosts an annual Toys, Games and Multimedia
Workshop at JPL to inform the toy, entertainment and multimedia
industries about space program licensing opportunities. The 1999
event is in the works for next October.
The four components of Uncle Milton's Mars and Beyond
product line are an HM4Terra-Colony Habitation Module (domed
tent), NM8 Hydropak Drink Unit (dispenser), CM5 Mission
Communicators (walkie talkies) and the Em3 Robotic Extender Arm
(specimen collector).
Further details about the Technology Affiliates Program are
available from JPL's Commercial Technology Program web site at
http://techtrans.jpl.nasa.gov/tu.html . JPL is managed for NASA
by the California Institute of Technology.
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12-02-1998 JGW
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