Pyromaniacs in Space – NASA to Conduct Several Fire Experiments Inside Spaceship

NASA is investigating how fire reacts in a microgravity environment with a series of tests done by the ship Orbital ATK’s Cygnus, with yesterday being the first of many experiments to come.

The goal of the first experiment was to see how flames spread on a large-scale and the limitations of flammable materials in microgravity. The reasoning is to find what type of materials for clothing and equipment best protects the astronauts from potential fire hazards. Dubbed as Saffire-I, the Spacecraft Fire Gravity experiment didn’t take up as much room as most would expect.

The enclosures of the experiment measured at 1 meter in depth, half a meter in width, and 1.3 meters in length with a flow duct and an avionics bay included inside. The experiment conducted in Saffire-I was to see how a SIBAL cloth, composed of fiberglass and cotton, is burned and to study the nature and patterns fire spreads in a microgravity environment. Prior to the Saffire-I, the longest experiment happened to 3 to 5 inches or about the size of an index card.

NASA scientists will also see how more flame retardant materials burn in microgravity with their other experiments among the Cygnus. Currently, NASA has only set a total of 3 experiments for the Cygnus and is in the process of developing numbers IV, V, and VI.

Featured Photo NASA