Back in the thick of the Space Race, NASA had a problem. Getting astronauts and test pilots back to Earth safely was a bumpy, bone-rattling affair. NASA needed a material that could cushion the human body against extreme g-forces. So, they handed the problem to their scientists at Ames Research Center in California.

The mission, funded by your tax dollars, was to create a foam that could absorb a massive amount of energy. The result was a weird, putty-like material they called “temper foam.” It had a magical property: you could press your hand into it, and it would keep the perfect imprint for a while before slowly, lazily bouncing back. It was fascinating stuff.

There was just one problem: it never actually made it into the space shuttle. The original plan to use it in astronaut seats was scrapped. By most measures, the project was a failure.

But this is where government-funded science gets awesome. NASA’s whole job is to push boundaries, and part of that mission is to make sure their taxpayer-funded inventions don’t just sit on a shelf gathering dust. Through its “spinoff” program, NASA releases its patents and technologies to the public, hoping entrepreneurs will find clever new uses for them.

And boy, did they.

A company took the recipe for this failed astronaut foam and started selling it for medical uses, like wheelchair cushions and hospital beds, where its ability to relieve pressure was a godsend for patients. From there, it exploded. The foam that was designed to save pilots from crash landings found its true calling: saving humanity from terrible nights of sleep. It ended up in mattresses, pillows, shoes, and even football helmets.

It’s a hilarious journey when you think about it. The U.S. government paid a bunch of rocket scientists to invent a high-tech material to protect astronauts, the project didn’t quite work out as planned, and now you can buy that same “failed” space-age technology at a mattress store in any mall in America. It’s a perfect example of how funding bold, ambitious public research can lead to incredible everyday products, even when the original mission doesn’t go exactly to plan.