What rockets are made of, a chat with materials scientist Emma McCarthy

Facetime with Scientists · Jul 3, 2026 · 1h 4m

Emma has always dreamed of designing rockets. What she didn't expect was that she wouldn't design their shape, but the materials they are made of (and the materials they will take on their missions to the Moon and beyond)! Through her education and research in mechanical engineering, she's become an expert in extreme materials processing and characterization. Learn more about materials science with Emma as she polishes a metal sample for electron microscopy in this latest episode of Facetime with Scientists!