STS-75 press kit

Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 26
Forced-Flow Flamespreading Test (FFFT)
Investigator: Kurt R. Sacksteder,
NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH
Objective. On Earth, gravity causes air motion known as buoyant convection the rising of hot air and
falling of cool air. Scientists who study combustion want to know the details of how air motion affects
flame spreading, to be able to better control fires that may occur on orbit. When a fire starts on Earth,
flames spread due to the movement of air around and through the flames. Air motion provides oxygen for
the chemical reactions in the flame, removes combustion products (some toxic), and controls how the heat
released in the flame is distributed.
Procedure. A crew member will place small solid fuel samples (flat paper and cellulose cylinders) into the
test module; seal the module in the Middeck Glovebox; establish air flow; heat, then ignite the fuel sample;
and record the results on video and film for later study. Gas samples will be extracted from the combustion
products. Researchers on the ground will watch downlinked video of the flame and temperature displays to
analyze early results and possibly change subsequent test runs.
Radiative Ignition and Transition to Spread Investigation (RITSI)
Investigator: Dr. Takashi Kashiwagi,
National Institute for Standards and Testing, Gaithersburg, MD
Objective. Fires in spacecraft pose a significant threat. A short-circuit in an electrical system or overheated
electrical components could ignite flammable material. Toxic gases can quickly poison the air, and fire
extinguishers can damage critical equipment. To prevent and control fires on orbit, the conditions that lead
up to ignition must be understood.
Procedure. The experiment apparatus consists of a flow duct with screens at both ends and a fan that pulls
air through the duct. The clear lid of the duct opens for access to the sample holder to change out samples
of ashless filter paper. A high-intensity lamp will be focused on the sample to preheat and then ignite it.
The crew member will use a small control box attached to the outside of the glovebox to perform the
experiment. During operations, Dr. Kashiwagi's team will monitor the experiment. Between tests,
downlinked data will be analyzed to recommend conditions for subsequent tests.
Comparative Soot Diagnostics (CSD)
Investigator: Dr. David L. Urban,
NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH
Objective. An understanding of soot processes in flames produced in microgravity will contribute to our
ability to predict fire behavior on Earth. However, no soot measurements have been made of quasi-steady,
microgravity flames. The Comparative Soot Diagnostics experiment will provide the first such
measurements and will provide data useful for understanding soot processes on Earth. Since fire detector
systems currently flown on the Shuttle and scheduled for use on the international Space Station have not
been tested for quasi-steady, low-gravity sources of minute particles, this data will be studied for its
applicability to the design and operation of future spacecraft smoke detection systems.
Procedure. The experiment will examine particle formation from a variety of sources, including a candle
 and four overheated materials paper, silicone rubber, and wires coated with Teflon and Kapton . These
materials are found in crew cabins, and silicone rubber is an industrial product. The apparatus consists of
two modules, one installed inside the glovebox and the other attached to the outside of the glovebox. After
running a self-diagnostic procedure on the smoke detectors in the internal module, the crew member
performing this experiment will activate a video camera and turn on an igniter. A probe will sample the
soot when flames are well developed.