Shuttle Experiment Tests Fires in Space

Back in space for a sizzling encore, Columbia’s astronauts began setting fires aboard the shuttle in hopes of learning more about the spread of flames in weightlessness. The seven-member crew also got to see the scene of the worst fire ever in space, Russia’s broken-down Mir station, as it passed within 70 miles of the shuttle. Scientists say the combustion research will help improve spacecraft safety and reduce air pollution on Earth. Mir’s fire in February--a solid-fuel oxygen generator ignited, shooting out 2-foot flames and spewing chunks of molten metal--pointed out the need for a better understanding of flames in weightlessness.