Nanotech Materials Development New Frontier for Rice, NASA

CONTACT: Lia Unrau

PHONE: (713)
831-4793

E-MAIL: unrau@rice.edu

NANOTECH MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT NEXT FRONTIER FOR RICE,
NASA

Development of nanotechnology
materials and applications could lead the nation’s space program into a new
frontier because of a collaboration between Rice University and NASA.

Rice and NASA officials will take the first step toward
exploring this new frontier by signing a statement of collaboration that
outlines the partnership on Thursday, Oct. 15, 1998, at 10 a.m. in the Founders
Room of Lovett Hall on the Rice campus.

NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin and Rice President Malcolm
Gillis will sign the document in a ceremony including Richard Smalley, Rice’s
Nobel-prize winning professor and director of the university’s Center for
Nanoscale Science and Technology, George W. S. Abbey, director of the Johnson
Space Center, and Congressman Nick Lampson (D-Texas).

The development of nanotechnology materials will focus on
fullerene fibers, also known as nanotubes. These carbon fibers are tubular
structures potentially 30 to 100 times stronger than steel but one-sixth its
weight, and about a billionth of a meter in diameter.

Rice and NASA share a long history beginning in 1962 when, from
Rice Stadium, President Kennedy announced plans to put a man on the moon. Rice
responded to the announcement by creating the country’s first Department of
Space Science. Since then, Rice has been involved in a number of significant
research projects and missions, as well as public outreach and education efforts
with NASA.

Lovett Hall is located inside Entrances 1 and 2 off of Main
Street. Media interested in attending the signing event can begin setting up at
8 a.m. and should contact Lia Unrau, science editor in the Rice University Media
Relations Office, at (713) 831-4793, unrau@rice.edu, for
further details.

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