For years, Tempur-Pedic® has been a household name—often recalling the famous wine glass test, where a glass of red wine sits on an original TEMPUR® mattress. Showcasing Tempur-Pedic’s superior motion cancellation, a sleeper jumps repeatedly on the mattress… but the wine does not spill.

However, did you know that Tempur-Pedic’s history began with NASA scientists during the height of the space race? Our own VP of Brand Management, Jill Johnson, and leader of New Product Development, Allen Platek, recently sat down with the Space4U editorial team to discuss our surprising origin story and ongoing research into the science of sleep.

In the late 1960s, NASA scientists were tasked with developing a material to cushion pilots against the rigors of test flight. They successfully created a viscoelastic material—or a “slow spring-back foam”. In the 1980s, when NASA released its formula to the public, Swedish entrepreneurs took this space-age foam and perfected it for sleep. They called it TEMPUR-Material™.

In 1991, they introduced the world’s first viscoelastic mattress and pillow under the brand name TEMPUR®. The adaptive and pressure-relieving properties and its unique comfort and support made TEMPUR-Material™ an instant success. Today, TEMPUR® is found in bedrooms around the world, transforming the sleep of millions of people.

Throughout the years, we’ve continued to innovate and improve on this original formula—even responding to studies showing that a cooler sleep environment helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. In fact, we approach climate research relating to sleep innovation the same way experts approach space exploration—through scientific methods and experimentation. In Allen’s words, “We don’t leave it to chance. And, I believe we’re the only people in the industry that are approaching sleep science this way.”

That’s why our latest innovation, the TEMPUR-breeze°, is our most-awarded and best-rated mattress collection yet. With premium cooling technologies that cycle heat and humidity out of the mattress, you can sleep more deeply and wake up feeling refreshed.

The Space4U podcast is a collection of casual conversations with industry professionals, discussing the latest scientific innovations and explorations beyond our atmosphere. The podcast celebrates people all around the globe who are working together to make us smarter about space.

To listen to the full podcast, click here.