Our History

History & Heritage

Invented in the 1960s in an effort to relieve astronauts from the immense G-forces experienced during take-off and landings, “Visco-elastic” foam was a breakthrough in pressure relief technology. NASA scientists worked for years to improve the material for consumer applications. This original formulation “lived” for a short time in medical surfaces and seating applications and was released to the public in the 1980s. Due to high production cost, and the need for further research and development the material met with little success.

Scientists at Tempur-Pedic^® took on the NASA formula and after nearly a decade and millions of research dollars perfected what we know today as TEMPUR^® material. This highly responsive, dense and durable material is now a proprietary formula (and process) known only by a few within Tempur-Pedic and remains a highly guarded secret. In 1998 Tempur-Pedic was recognized by NASA and the Space Foundation for the advances made in the formula and the unique product innovations for consumer and medical applications. Today Tempur-Pedic remains the only mattress and pillow manufacturer recognized by NASA and the Space foundation.

In May 6, 1998, Bob Trussell, Tempur-Pedic® Founder and CEO, was invited to NASA headquarters in Washington, DC to attend a press conference in Tempur-Pedic's honor.

There, NASA Administrator, Daniel S. Goldin, recognized Tempur-Pedic for successfully using NASA technology to create economic opportunity and promote a better quality of life for humankind - in both the consumer and medical sector.

After receiving NASA's Plaque of Recognition, Tempur-Pedic presented the Administration with our one-millionth pillow. This pillow and other similar pillows are on display at NASA Headquarters, Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Soon after the NASA Press Conference, Tempur-Pedic was licensed by the United States Space Foundation to use the official "Certified Technology" seal on our product packaging and marketing materials.

The Certified Space Technology initiative is committed to broadening awareness, understanding, and support for the important role space plays in the everyday lives of Americans.

The initiative is devoted to communicating how space technology results in the betterment of life on Earth and only supports products that are genuine results of space technology and research.

To protect the integrity of the certification seal, the U.S. Space Foundation has assembled a panel of space experts to review the qualifications of submitted products and services. Only those products and services certified as having originated in U.S. space efforts or used in space flight may employ the seal.

There is a reason we’re high-tech!

After a thorough verification process with NASA, Tempur-Pedic was accepted as one of their “esteemed companies.” The “Certified Technology” Seal verifies that underlying product technology was derived from America's efforts and experiments in Space. You will find the "Certified Technology" Seal on our products, brochures, and other resources. To learn more about the Certified Space Technology initiative and other certified products, you may visit www.spaceconnection.org.