{
  "id": 2064002,
  "title": "Levitating molten metal on ISS could refine ultra-strong metallic glass",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/levitating-molten-metal-on-iss-could-refine-ultra-strong-metallic",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-20T03:20:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-levitating-molten-metal-iss-refine.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Materials scientist Ralf Busch from Saarland University is preparing for a mission to the International Space Station, ISS, where his team will study metallic-glass alloys in experiments conducted remotely from Earth. The team, working with the European Space Agency and the German Aerospace Center, will investigate the properties of these alloys using hot, levitating droplets. This state of apparent weightlessness is crucial for the researchers, as it allows for the stable and stationary measurement of droplets of their new alloy. Metallic glasses are metals that solidify like glass, and they can be tailored to have specific properties. The ISS is particularly valuable for the Saarbrücken materials researchers due to the sustained state of suspension experienced onboard. The research team aims to obtain new, high-precision data that will help improve the material. The experiments will focus on nickel-niobium and nickel-niobium-sulfur alloys, which were developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Saarbrücken campus, respectively.",
  "summary": "The research team led by materials scientist Ralf Busch from Saarland University is preparing for its first science-in-space mission. If everything goes to plan, from 31 August the researchers will spend one week remotely studying metallic-glass alloys in experiments carried out on board the International Space Station, ISS. Working with the European Space Agency, ESA, and the German Aerospace…",
  "key_points": [
    "Materials scientist Ralf Busch prepares ISS mission to study metallic-glass alloys.",
    "Experiments involve levitating hot, stationary droplets of new alloy.",
    "Research focuses on nickel-niobium and nickel-niobium-sulfur alloys."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}