Аннотация:As part of the Saffire project, solid materials were burned aboard orbiting spacecraft in
two sets of experiments. The materials, mounted within a large air flow duct, were substantially
larger than fuel samples in all previous microgravity tests. Large-than-typical samples could be
accommodated because the tests were remotely conducted in unmanned ISS supply vehicles just
days before their controlled re-entry and burn-up in the atmosphere. In the first experiment, a large
cotton-fiberglass fabric measuring 40.6 x 94 cm was burned in two separate tests (concurrent and
opposed). In the second experiment, nine samples measuring 5 x 30 cm in area were burned in
succession. Of these nine, two were sheets of cotton-fiberglass fabric, identical to the material
burned in the first experiment, and were burned in the concurrent-flow configuration. Two digital
video cameras were used to record flame behavior and spread rate. Other diagnostics included
radiometers, thermocouples, oxygen, and carbon dioxide sensors. Results demonstrate the unique
features of purely forced flow in microgravity on flame spread, the dependence of flame behavior
on the scale of the experiment, and the importance of full-scale testing for spacecraft fire safety.
