NASA is sending scientific tests to the International Space Station (ISS) to investigate flammability and fire control in previously unknown space conditions. The space agency will also conduct microgravity tests on the characteristics of concrete, a common construction material, in preparation for trips to the Moon and Mars.
The International Space Station is pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during a fly-around of the orbiting lab that took place as Crew-2 left station on Nov. 8, 2021. The space station has been continuously inhabited by humans for 21 years, supporting many scientific breakthroughs.
Project SoFie
The experiment, dubbed Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (SoFIE), is the latest in a series of in-orbit studies that examine how fire behaves in microgravity.
Space.com said SoFIE is part of a bigger cargo of research, supplies, and hardware that will be launched by Northrop Grumman's Cygnus NG-17 resupply mission on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 12:39 p.m. EST.
The Cygnus launch will take place from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.
NASA Television, the NASA app, and NASA social media will cover event. Note that the launch time may vary due to technical, weather, or other factors.
🔥🔥🔥 We’re (safely) fired up for Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction, a new project headed for the @Space_Station! SoFIE will study:
— NASA (@NASA) February 16, 2022
- The spread of flames over different materials
- Flame growth, decay & extinction
Did we spark your curiosity? Read on: https://t.co/i7JDcJ1geg pic.twitter.com/ufVXVx8Bnq
According to NASA (per Republic World), fire behaves differently in space and is more difficult to extinguish because variations in gravity and airflow may affect how it spreads.
Hence, this new experiment is critical for planning infrastructure on the Moon, where only 12 humans have walked so far, and ultimately on Mars, where no person has ever set foot.
NASA would choose materials and products for spacesuits, cabins, and shelters based on the results of this experiment and determine the best means to put out flames or smoldering objects in space.
According to project manager Lauren Brown, this experiment expands on NASA's previous flammability studies while also laying the groundwork for human travel beyond low-Earth orbit.
SoFIE will be operational until November 2025, with a total of five studies planned to look at the flammability of plexiglass, cotton-based textiles, and other materials used in spaceflight.
The experiment will begin to study fire safety in space. But NASA claims that they may also utilize data from the project to enhance fire safety on Earth.
Cosmos Kiss
Even though concrete is the most popular construction material on Earth, it has seldom been considered for use in space due to its weight.
Now, Phys.org said a new experiment onboard the International Space Station will examine the qualities of the common construction material in microgravity.
In the latest experiment, German astronaut Matthias Maurer will hand-mix a tiny amount of concrete in orbit as part of his "Cosmic Kiss" mission.
He'll use a specially constructed mixer and a giant inflated bag to do this. The experiment will enable scientists to investigate the impact of gravity - or the lack thereof - on concrete curing process.
Future crewed missions, including NASA's Artemis missions, will use the data to help design the building of future space homes on the Moon and Mars.
It's not the first time astronauts conducted a concrete experiment on the International Space Station. In 2019, NASA launched yet another little concrete investigation into space.
The results of that experiment will be used to determine the parameters of the next one. The findings of this new study might lead to improved concrete mixing procedures and better material combinations.
RELATED ARTICLE: Russian Freighter Progress 80 Arrives at ISS Packed with Over 2,500 Kg of Cargo Catering to Astronauts
Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times.
