One thing you might not have known about NASA is their role in the development of air traffic management. According to the FAA there are an average of 45,000 flights every day in the US, and every one of those planes needs to be able to take off, fly, and land in an incredibly complex network of tangled paths, all without running into one another.
The first class of nuclear submarines were a learning experience for the Soviet Navy. The November class boats experienced numerous difficulties and accidents, culminating in what has been described as a potential “Underwater Chernobyl."