To the amazement of many, flames in the weightless environment of space morph into an almost spherical shape, diverging from the typical teardrop shape observed on Earth.
In a groundbreaking live lecture from the Tiangong space station, Chinese astronauts Gui Haichao and Zhu Yangzhu astounded viewers by lighting a candle to elucidate the unique properties of flames in a microgravity setting.
To the amazement of many, flames in the weightless environment of space morph into an almost spherical shape, diverging from the typical teardrop shape observed on Earth.
This deviation stems from the absence of buoyancy-driven convection in space—a phenomenon where, on Earth, warmer air ascends while cooler air descends. Consequently, in the subdued gravity of space, flames radiate evenly, resulting in the observed spheroidal fireballs.
Educating Earthlings: Tiangong’s Celestial Classroom
The interactive lecture, streamed on September 21, marked the fourth session of the “Tiangong classroom.” As astronauts communicated with students dispersed across five Chinese classrooms, they showcased an array of microgravity marvels, emphasizing how numerous physical processes exhibit distinct behaviors in space compared to Earth.
A Flaming Surprise: Tiangong vs. ISS
The daring candle-lighting experiment, especially with an open flame, could raise eyebrows among International Space Station (ISS) affiliates. The ISS enforces stringent regulations surrounding combustible materials and open flames, largely in response to a significant blaze aboard the Russian space station Mir in 1997. Although the ISS has explored microgravity combustion in numerous experiments, it predominantly employs a bespoke integrated combustion system, ensuring that flames remain confined and controlled.
On the other hand, the Tiangong space station houses its Combustion Experiment Rack (CER) dedicated to in-depth research in this realm.
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