Materials Science
The study of materials and how to improve them is one of the oldest scientific fields. This research has
influenced all the technologies we have today and our entire way of life—from homes to cars to kitchenware. It
gives us long-distance communication capabilities, better protection against natural disasters and health
problems, and overall improved quality of life. Materials science today improves our technologies across a huge
range of products, including microelectronics, suspension bridges, golf clubs, earthquake-resistant buildings and
artificial limbs.
Research and development in space
The International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory supports research in a variety of fields,
including materials science. Research inside the space station and testing on the exterior of the station allow
scientists to study how to develop improved materials such as metals, alloys, ceramics, electronics and glasses.
Inside the space station: research
Aboard the space station, scientists conduct experiments in a microgravity (weightless) environment.
Gravity (and the lack thereof) strongly affects many processes in the physical sciences, including the way liquids
move and solidify. The characteristics of a material such as a metal—for example, its strength, resistance to heat
and corrosion, and response to magnetic fields—depend greatly on how the material behaves in liquid form and
on how the material solidifies.
In microgravity, scientists can study aspects of how liquids behave and solidify in experiments that
would be difficult or even impossible on the ground.* For example, buoyancy, a major cause of convection (the
movement of molecules within a fluid), depends on gravity. Buoyancy is thus functionally absent in the
microgravity environment of the National Lab, so scientists can examine subtler causes of convection that
buoyancy masks (overshadows) in ground studies. Studying how fluids behave in this environment reveals
important properties of the final materials, allowing scientists to develop ways to produce improved materials
such as alloys and semiconductors.
Outside the space station: testing
In addition to basic materials research in microgravity, scientists can test materials on the exterior of the
space station. The space station’s environment in low Earth orbit (about 240 miles above the surface) is one of
harsh conditions, including extreme heat and cold, high-energy radiation and damaging forms of certain
molecules. Scientists use this environment to test new materials and to analyze how extreme conditions affect
existing materials.
Nearly all experiments previously done outside the station were part of the MISSE (Materials
International Space Station Experiment) series, which sought to develop better materials for future space
exploration. By contrast, CASIS supports use of the internal and external space environment to improve
materials used on Earth. Examining materials exposed to the extreme conditions of space offers scientists the
chance to understand how to make materials on Earth that are longer lasting and more reliable. Also, the
altitude at which the space station orbits is different from the altitude at which most satellite orbits, so testing
materials that will improve the design of potential satellites to orbit at this altitude may allow use of such
satellites for Earth observations, GPS or television broadcast services, among other uses.
Research areas
Testing materials in space and studying liquids, solid–liquid mixtures and solidification have afforded
scientists the opportunity to learn about many aspects of materials science that help improve various products
on Earth. Below are some examples of experiments on the station that seek to improve materials:
 Experiments using undercooled liquids helped scientists develop high-strength glassy metal materials for
consumer electronics.
 Studies examining solid–liquid mixtures helped scientists improve computer software used to design
products such as jet engines and suspension bridges.
 Many experiments examine ways to improve semiconductors, which are part of most electronics on
Earth (e.g., calculators, computers, cell phones and many medical devices).
 Studies of how materials respond to magnetic fields are helping scientists develop new ideas for making
buildings that better withstand earthquakes.
 “Memory shape” technology developed from station science has been used in golf clubs, tennis rackets,
fishing poles, eye glasses and other consumer products.
The role of space science in education
The space station’s National Lab can support the advanced research that will ultimately improve quality
of life on Earth. The research aboard the space station is unique and exciting, offering a new resource for
project-based learning and for using modern breakthroughs to illustrate traditional science concepts. This new
era in scientific discovery comes just in time to inspire a new generation to continue the quest for scientific
exploration, educating the future leaders and decision makers of our country and the world.
* The Physical Sciences backgrounder in this series provides additional information about how scientists study
fluids on the station.
Note: NASA, not CASIS, manages many materials science experiments in space. These experiments have to do
with how to improve and repair materials used in spacecraft. To learn about these NASA-managed experiments,
visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html.
About CASIS:
The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) manages the International Space Station U.S.
National Laboratory. This laboratory supports basic and applied research across the range of physics, chemistry,
engineering, materials science and biology, as well as opportunities for technology development and education
initiatives. CASIS is the gateway to space-based research onboard this National Lab—and to all the excitement it
offers to researchers and students.