This report examines materials research programs across all operating Administrations within the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is the department's first report on ongoing and planned research and technology efforts in advanced materials. The report was published in support of the Administration's initiative to establish an integrated program of research designed to enhance the performance and longevity of the Nation's transportation infrastructure. It is intended to provide the department's customers with a consolidated report of materials-related research projects. The report highlights opportunities for joint research and near-term applications of advanced materials technologies.

In the last decade, there has been an influx in the development of new technologies for deep space exploration. Countries all around the world are investing in resources to create advanced energetic materials and propulsion systems for their aerospace initiatives. Energetic Materials Research, Applications, and New Technologies is an essential reference source of the latest research in aerospace engineering and its application in space exploration. Featuring comprehensive coverage across a range of related topics, such as molecular dynamics, rocket engine models, propellants and explosives, and quantum chemistry calculations, this book is an ideal reference source for academicians, researchers, advanced-level students, and technology developers seeking innovative research in aerospace engineering.

Materials science and engineering (MSE) contributes to our everyday lives by making possible technologies ranging from the automobiles we drive to the lasers our physicians use. Materials Science and Engineering for the 1990s charts the impact of MSE on the private and public sectors and identifies the research that must be conducted to help America remain competitive in the world arena. The authors discuss what current and future resources would be needed to conduct this research, as well as the role that industry, the federal government, and universities should play in this endeavor.

In order to achieve the revolutionary new defense capabilities offered by materials science and engineering, innovative management to reduce the risks associated with translating research results will be needed along with the R&D. While payoff is expected to be high from the promising areas of materials research, many of the benefits are likely to be evolutionary. Nevertheless, failure to invest in more speculative areas of research could lead to undesired technological surprises. Basic research in physics, chemistry, biology, and materials science will provide the seeds for potentially revolutionary technologies later in the 21st century.