TIL: NASA is Setting Fire in Space for an Experiment, Private U.S. Cargo Ship to Burn up there!

in #til8 years ago

Today I learned that NASA was setting fire in space, literally, as part of an experiment! The experiment will be conducted by setting a cargo ship on fire so that scientists can gather data about how fire spreads in space!

I was a bit surprised because I was under the impression that these were facts already known by the space scientific community but it was not, apparently. And now they plan to burn up the cargo ship operated by U.S. space firm Orbital ATK, The Cygnus resupply craft, on its return back to earth.

So why the need to do it now?



The Orbital ATK's Cygnus cargo craft (on the left), as seen from the Cupola module windows aboard the International Space Station on October 23, 2016
[Photo Credit]


According to NASA, one of the biggest difficulty in controlling fire in space, and crafts in space, was that they were clueless as to its behavior in a no gravity or micro gravity scenario. The project manager for this experiment, Gary Ruff said,

A spacecraft fire is one of the greatest crew safety concerns for NASA and the international space exploration community

So to ensure safety in the future for astronauts, the cargo ship has been prepared with the craft having nine compartments where different types of materials shall be set on fire. Each of these compartments are equipped with a video camera and shall record the fire after being lit remotely.

These new experiments are more extensive than the one which was conducted in June 2016, and different materials are being set on fire, including fire retardant materials like the clothing worn by astronauts.

And oh, the craft is also carrying around 1.5 tons of garbage from the space station, and the video feed is expected to reach earth this Tuesday!


Sources for further reading


  1. http://phys.org/news/2016-11-orbital-cargo-ship-departs-space.html
  2. http://www.space.com/34789-nasa-space-fire-experiment-saffire.html
  3. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-11/22/c_135847533.htm
  4. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3957540/Fire-space-experiment-kick-aboard-US-cargo-ship.html


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Hi @norbu, I just stopped back to let you know your post was one of my favourite reads yesterday and I included it in my Steemit Ramble. You can read what I wrote about your post here.

Wow, Thanks, I am honored!

They could just played any Star Wars episode.

Lol, true.

Another 20 billion dollars down the drain in a year. =/

Maybe more!

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