A bold vision for Houston
The accidental invention of AstroTurf
Legendary moments under the dome
A sanctuary and a modern monument
YOUR GOAL
Master of The story of the Astrodome
marcus The Houston Astrodome
They painted the skylights to block out the glare, But the grass died away with no sun in the air.
marcus A synthetic turf called ChemGrass, developed by the chemical company Monsanto, became the savior of the indoor field.
marcus Deprived of sunlight after the roof was painted, the stadium's natural Tifway bermudagrass quickly withered and died.
Painting the dirt: Before AstroTurf was installed, stadium crew members actually painted the dead grass and dirt green so it would look better on television broadcasts.
A synthetic surface resembling grass, used primarily on athletic fields. In 1966, Houston's indoor stadium installed the synthetic surface after painted roof panels killed the natural grass.
What temporary solution did the Astrodome use for television broadcasts before installing synthetic turf?
What was the original purpose of the synthetic turf before it was used in sports stadiums?