A team of NASA researchers has tested how fires behave in low-gravity conditions, specifically in an environment similar to that of the Moon. The experiment, known as Lunar-g Combustion Investigation ( LUCI ), was sent aboard Blue Origin ‘s New Shepard suborbital flight.
A fire safety test on the Moon
The study, developed by NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland in collaboration with Voyager Technologies , aims to evaluate the flammability of certain materials under reduced gravity conditions. Among the materials tested are cotton fabric with fiberglass and plastic rods.
[post_relacionado]To replicate lunar gravity, the mission’s payload capsule rotated at a specific speed during flight. This environment allowed scientists to analyze how materials ignite and burn in a scenario similar to what future missions to the Moon and Mars will face.
One of LUCI’s main goals is to determine whether the low lunar gravity poses a greater risk of fires compared to Earth. The data obtained will help researchers design safer spacecraft, spacesuits and habitats for future exploration.
According to NASA scientists, understanding how fire spreads under different gravity conditions is critical to mitigating risks on long-duration missions. This information will be key to the success of the Artemis and Moon to Mars programs , which seek to establish a sustainable human presence off-planet.
In addition to improving safety in space exploration, the findings from this experiment could have applications on Earth. By better understanding how materials react to fire under extreme conditions, better safety standards can be developed for low-oxygen environments such as submarines or research stations in Antarctica.
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Source: NASA
Photo: Voyager Technologies