Northwestern prof's materials await space flight

EVANSTON — A Northwestern University professor's engineered materials must wait for their space test following Friday's delay of space shuttle Endeavour's launch.

The scheduled launch was scratched because of mechanical problems. NASA plans to try again Monday.

When the shuttle does lift off, on board will be Professor Mark Hersam's carbon nanotube and graphene thin films. The materials could one day be used in satellites, but must prove themselves in space.

The materials are to spend at least six months mounted on the exterior of the International Space Station. Hersam has a duplicate set of the materials in his lab. He'll test those alongside the space-traveling set when the materials return to Earth.

Hersam is a professor of materials science and engineering in the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.