Thomas J. Sutliff, Angel M. Otero, and David L. Urban

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Combustion Research Aboard the ISS Utilizing

the Combustion Integrated Rack and

Microgravity Science Glovebox

NASA/TM—2002-211998

November 2002

IAC–02–T.4.05

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20030005705 2018-05-15T15:33:55+00:00Z
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Thomas J. Sutliff, Angel M. Otero, and David L. Urban

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Combustion Research Aboard the ISS Utilizing

the Combustion Integrated Rack and

Microgravity Science Glovebox

NASA/TM—2002-211998

November 2002

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Prepared for the

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cosponsored by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the International

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Houston, Texas, October 10–19, 2002

IAC–02–T.4.05
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NASA/TM—2002-211998 1 

COMBUSTION RESEARCH ABOARD THE ISS UTILIZING THE COMBUSTION INTEGRATED 

RACK AND MICROGRAVITY SCIENCE GLOVEBOX 

Thomas J. Sutliff, Angel M. Otero, and David L. Urban 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Glenn Research Center 

Cleveland, Ohio 44135 

ABSTRACT

The Physical Sciences Research Program of NASA 

sponsors a broad suite of peer-reviewed research 

investigating fundamental combustion phenomena and 

applied combustion research topics. This research is 

performed through both ground-based and on-orbit 

research capabilities. The International Space Station 

(ISS) and two facilities, the Combustion Integrated 

Rack and the Microgravity Science Glovebox, are key 

elements in the execution of microgravity combustion 

flight research planned for the foreseeable future. 

This paper reviews the Microgravity Combustion 

Science research planned for the International Space 

Station implemented from 2003 through 2012. 

Examples of selected research topics, expected 

outcomes, and potential benefits will be provided. 

This paper also summarizes a multi-user hardware 

development approach, recapping the progress made in 

preparing these research hardware systems. Within the 

description of this approach, an operational strategy is 

presented that illustrates how utilization of constrained 

ISS resources may be maximized dynamically to 

increase science through design decisions made during 

hardware development. 

INTRODUCTION

The motivation for NASA’s Microgravity (μg) 

Combustion Research Program grows from striving for 

a fundamental understanding of processes tied to daily 

activities on Earth. Over 85% of the U.S. energy 

supply relies on combustion methods. Power 

generation, home and office heating, personal and 

commercial transportation, and manufacturing all take 

advantage of combustion processes. Given this 

importance, improvements in combustion efficiency 

will have substantial economic and environmental 

impact. A complicating aspect of combustion research 

is the presence of transient behaviors of flames and 

their byproducts. Through the use of simplifying 

means, including those available through research in 

space, these complicating factors may be significantly 

reduced, and the research can be focused to better 

understand first order phenomena without the 

complexities of unsteadiness. (ref. 1) 

MOTIVATION FOR RESEARCH

Although combustion research is conducted 

internationally, (ref. 2) NASA microgravity research in 

combustion focuses on problems that can be better 

understood in the absence of buoyancy-driven flows 

caused by gravity’s effect on Earth. By using groundbased, suborbital, or orbiting platforms, a state of freefall, described as “microgravity,” (ref. 1) is available 

and can be used to minimize the effects of gravity on 

combustion processes. The NASA Office of Biological 

and Physical Research (OBPR) Physical Sciences 

Research Division has selected investigation topics and 

subtopics in fundamental research and focused 

applications. These investigations are conducted in an 

effort to unravel the mysteries of combustion by use of 

the unique environment provided via NASA’s access to 

space. 

Gravity, when used as a controlled parameter, plays a 

role as a revealing tool, not unlike varying temperature 

in a thermodynamics experiment. Yet, no matter how 

much is learned on the ground, there is work that can 

only be accomplished in the unique environment of 

space. In particular, a series of questions motivating the 

conduct of investigations on ISS have been captured: 

(ref. 3) 

- What are the interactions between turbulence 

and combustion? 

- What controls soot formation, agglomeration, 

and oxidation? 

- What mechanisms control flammability limits, 

detonations, instabilities? 

- What factors control material ignitability, 

smolder, flame spread? 

- How do chemical kinetics and fluid dynamics 

couple in various scenarios? 

- What controls boundary-layer interactions, 

acoustic-reaction feedbacks, and development 

of coherent structures in flames? 

- How can the influences of thermophoresis, 

preferential diffusion, and electrical or 

magnetic field effects on combustion be 

understood and quantified? 

- What are the quantitative effects of thermal 

radiation on various combustion processes? 

- Can development of data bases for fundamental 

transport phenomena be populated? 
NASA/TM—2002-211998 2 

RESEARCH PROGRAM STATUS

The first combustion experiment conducted in space 

occurred in 1974 aboard Skylab. (ref. 4) The 

Microgravity Combustion Science Program grew out 

of a need to better understand combustion processes 

that could occur in space. The program grew into a 

study of new flammability regimes of materials. The 

program is evolving from an investigator-idea driven 

mix of disparate research topics into research 

groupings addressing relevant areas of combustion 

science at large that only can be studied by the use of 

low-gravity facilities and access to space. 

The program is being further focused as a result of 

necessity: solving key NASA problems in space 

exploration are linked to exploring regimes in material 

flammability phenomena and fire detection dealing 

with spacecraft fire safety. (ref. 5) This type of 

focused, applications-driven research is synergistic 

with the fundamental, knowledge-driven research that 

has been the staple of the μg Combustion Science 

Program for the last decade. The present suite of 

research, as defined by recent NASA Research 

Announcement (NRA) Principal Investigator (PI) 

selections, consists of 66 ground-based investigations 

and 21 flight-based investigations in combustion 

phenomena whose study is only achievable in a 

microgravity environment. Topical areas for 

combustion research presently cover the following 

breadth: 

- Gaseous flames (diffusion, premixed, kinetics, 

suppression) 

- Drops and Sprays (single drops, arrays, sooting 

drops, sprays, particles, dust clouds) 

- Combustion Synthesis (nanoparticles, plasma 

synthesis, fullerenes, self-propagating hightemperature synthesis) 

- Surface combustion (flame spread, flammability 

testing, smoldering, liquid pools, secondary fires) 

- Miscellaneous areas (g-jitter, smoke detection, 

propellants, diagnostics, cold-boundary flames) 

This work is chartered within the scope of the 

OBPR/Physical Sciences Research Division. 

Investigations are funded using a variety of grant and 

contract mechanisms with universities, various 

government agencies, and industry. Annual NASA 

Research Announcements solicit new research 

proposals that are peer-reviewed prior to selection and 

funding. (ref. 6) 

Looking beyond the specific investigations, the biggest 

challenge facing this research discipline is that 

combustion has been so pervasive for so long in 

everyday life that people mistakenly believe it is well 

understood. But, the reality is that a substantial 

improvement in the quality of life in space or here on 

Earth requires improvement in the ability to predict and 

control combustion processes and products. 

Ground Research

Research is solicited through the NRA process. This 

process results in a series of investigation selections 

addressing topics of interest to NASA and the 

combustion community. Typically, studies of four-year 

duration are funded, with results published in refereed 

journals in the discipline. Recently, focused research 

proposals in spacecraft fire safety have been funded. 

These investigations will contribute to decreasing the 

risk of fires and outcomes of fire events to 

crewmembers in orbiting and interplanetary vehicles. 

Past Successes.—The ground-based component of the 

μg Combustion Research Program has grown from 

approximately 20 investigations in 1990 to over 60 PIs 

in 2002, developing into a robust program that has 

attracted the leading investigators in the field. The μg 

combustion ground-based investigators constitute a 

dominant user community for the NASA ground-based 

low gravity facilities (drop towers and aircraft). 

The results from the ground-based program have 

already influenced the fire safety practices on the ISS. 

New combustion textbooks routinely include results 

from the ground-based research program. The 

recognized success of the ground-based program has 

earned the μg Combustion Science discipline the role 

of a separate sub-discipline at combustion conferences 

and has spawned ground-based facilities in Japan, 

Germany, and Canada. 

Transitions to Future Research Directions.—Many μg 

combustion research areas are in the infancy of their 

exploration. Products have been generated whose 

processes are not yet understood, nor can they be 

analytically modeled in a predictive sense within the 

current knowledge base of the discipline. A number of 

areas show promise for terrestrial and space-based 

benefits and may be considered for further exploration. 

- Hydrogen research (fuel cells) 

- High Pressure/ high temperature research (in-situ 

resource utilization, regenerative life support) 

- Nanostructures and combustion synthesis (using 

gravity as a processing variable for development 

of new structural building blocks and components) 

- Micro-scale combustors (high energy density 

power sources) 
NASA/TM—2002-211998 3 

Flight Research

The flight research program for combustion research 

not only requires that investigations be selected 

through the NRA process, but that each PI faces 

additional peer review. This additional review ensures 

scientific quality and that access to the low gravity 

conditions of space for long duration is required. 

Subsequent to such peer review, commitment by 

NASA is made to develop flight system hardware for 

deployment on an appropriate research platform. 

 

Past Successes.—The microgravity flight research 

program for combustion began collecting flight data in 

1990 with one investigation in solid surface 

combustion. This investigation ultimately required ten 

Space Shuttle flight opportunities in middeck lockers to 

complete its test matrix. Since that first step 13 

investigations have flown on 36 flight opportunities. Of 

these, 34 have achieved, and in many cases surpassed, 

their pre-established mission science objectives. The 

Space Shuttle platform was augmented using sounding 

rockets and Russia’s space station Mir to conduct these 

investigations. However, this success rate can be 

improved upon. 

Intermittent access to space and a need to develop 

unique research systems for each experiment produced 

an experimental throughput that, while generating 

significant results, could be increased. Completion of 

13 investigations from 1990 to 1998 years yielded a 

scientific return of 1.4 PI/year. The time required to 

develop unique, PI-specific research systems and the 

availability of low gravity carriers (Shuttle, sounding 

rockets, etc.) limited throughput opportunities. 

Scientific research could have obtained additional 

flight data with a commensurate increase in published 

results with more access to the space environment. 

TRANSITION TO ISS

In the late 1990’s, NASA set out to build the 

International Space Station to enable more frequent 

access to space to conduct fundamental and applied 

research. Concurrently with the opportunity to use this 

new research platform, NASA chartered development 

of Facility-class systems to maximize utilization of onorbit resources. (ref. 7) 

About the same time, the μg Combustion Science 

Program had begun development of an experimental 

system to conduct two independent gaseous flame 

investigations. The Combustion Module system was 

developed and flown twice in 1997 aboard the Space 

Shuttle as a Spacelab double rack system. CM-1, as it 

is known, became a pathfinder in the development and 

 

deployment of a combustion facility for ISS. Some 

firsts of CM-1 include: 

- Developed and deployed a Facility-class system 

within Spacelab /STS 

- System was multi-user and demonstrated ISS-like 

features for diagnostics and system commonality 

- Accommodated on-orbit exchange of multiple 

independent research investigations 

- Designed for crew-tended in-flight maintenance 

- Use of remote (ground) command and control, 

real-time mission decision-making 

Subsequent to the immensely successful use of CM-1 

in 1997 to conduct the science of two investigators, the 

system was upgraded for a reflight in the Shuttle’s 

SpaceHab carrier as CM-2. The robustness of the 

Combustion Module system further allowed the 

addition of a third investigation not previously 

conceived at the time of development of CM-1: a new 

Commercial Space Center user conducting a water mist 

gaseous combustion experiment. (ref. 8) Lessons 

learned from the development of CM-1 and from 

integrating a third investigation after development of 

the core ‘facility’ have been applied to the 

development of the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) 

of the Fluids and Combustion Facility. 

ISS Research Plans

As NASA enters the era of ISS operations, the μg 

Combustion Science Program is well positioned to take 

advantage of ISS and Facility-class assets to achieve its 

research objectives. A total of fourteen fundamental 

scientific and applications-based research experiment 

programs in combustion research have been selected 

through the NRA process and plan to be conducted 

aboard ISS. For example, research on liquid fuels 

(droplet) combustion seeks to obtain fundamental 

parameters of flame structure and extinction. Another 

droplet combustion investigation extends study into 

applications-focused areas of soot development and 

propagation (having application to terrestrial pollution 

issues). Such synergy throughout the discipline 

provides a level of excitement for what the ISS 

research results will provide to the combustion 

community at large, and to the more focused NASA 

community seeking solutions to technology issues. 

Some of the specific terrestrial and NASA-specific 

applications being addressed in the current flight 

program include: 

- Spacecraft Fire Safety (supporting human 

exploration mission goals) 

- Prevention of material ignition and fire 

propagation (of solid materials) 

- Fire detection and suppression 
NASA/TM—2002-211998 4 

- Studies in combustion efficiency and pollutant 

minimization 

- Efficient burner technology design guidance 

(for gaseous fuels) 

- Soot development, and elimination (in liquid 

and gaseous fuels) 

Figure 1 illustrates the plan for the upcoming decade of 

μg combustion research aboard the ISS. Two racklevel facilities are needed to accommodate this 

program plan: the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) 

and the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG). The 

CIR facility will be utilized to obtain results for 

droplet, solid, and gaseous fuels investigations 

requiring sophisticated gas-blending and diagnostics 

support. The MSG will conduct less complex 

investigations requiring a more benign environment 

and fewer diagnostics than provided by the CIR. It will 

also be host to a particularly important study in the 

effectiveness of smoke detectors to appropriately 

trigger in the event of a fire on a spacecraft, yet not 

provide false-positive nuisance indications. 

Ultimately, the combined capability of CIR and MSG 

will allow the discipline to conduct 12 planned 

investigations in the next 5 years (at a rate of 2.4 

PI/year). It is anticipated that the utilization rate of 

research after the initial 5 years will increase, as the 

ISS will have entered its operational phase after 

completing its assembly phase. 

Figure 1. Combustion Research on ISS. 

Microgravity Combustion Science Discipline ISS Utilization Rate Ass'y Seq.: US Core Complete (1/29/02)

POP Update

9/9/2002

FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12

CIR CIR CIR CIR CIR CIR CIR CIR CIR

CIR 7/04

DCE-2 SEDC DDCE FIST ATHINA TIGER-3D S-Flame Cool Flames 02NRA-03

Williams (P) Choi (97) Nayagam (97) F-Pello (95) Wichman (97) Kashiwagi (93) Law (97) Pearlman (95) tbd PI

Jul-04 Apr-05 Mar-06 Oct-06 Jan-08 Sep-08 Jan-10 Oct-10

Italics = PI placeholde BCDCE STAF SIBAL Flame Design 02NRA-02 03NRA-02

(pre-SCR) Shaw (95) F-Pello (99) T'ien (93) Axelbaum (97) tbd PI tbd PI

Jul-04 Oct-06 Apr-09 Apr-10 Jan-11

REEFS V-Flame

Ronney (97) Cheng (97)

Jul-07 Jan-10

Non-PSR users of CIR CCA-1 CCA-2 FEANICS-7(?) CCA-3

MIST (catalytic comb) Tarifa (material synth)

Jul-05 Jul-07 Apr-08 Jul-09

MSG MSG MSG MSG MSG MSG MSG MSG MSG MSG

CFM-2 Smoke 02NRA-01 03NRA-01 04NRA-01

Dietrich Urban (99) tbd PI tbd PI tbd PI

Feb-04 Mar-06 Jan-09 Jan-11

Prior NRA Selection Numbers

 (for ISS only) EXPRESS EXPRESS EXPRESS EXPRESS EXPRESS EXPRESS EXPRESS EXPRESS EXPRESS EXPRESS

93 NRA/3 95 NRA/3 97 NRA/8

99 NRA/2

FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12

(CIR+other) 2+1 1+ 1+1 3+ 1+ 2+1+ 3 2+1 2+1

Cumulative 3 4 6 9 10 13 16 19 22

Notes:

FSDC-3

Williams

SPICE

Faeth

May-03 Oct-03

Cumulative 1 2

Combustion Science Vision

3) Dates correspond to launch manifest

5) POP slow downs due to budget constraints; 9/02 reinstatement FSDC3 and SPICE funds

1) Baseline. Corresponds to GRC/MSD ISS Utilization Traffic Model 3/20/2002; 

 updated per Note 5 for POP

2) Wedge 3 Flight PI's/annual NRA (1=>MSG, 2=>CIR)

4) 01-NRA scope presently will select NO Flight Investigators

CIR Launch 

7/2004; ULF-2

Commercial

Glovebox Investigations

Droplets (MDCA)

Solids (FEANICS)

Gaseous (MGFA)

Other PSR program

PI Operations/ year 

(full support)

International
NASA/TM—2002-211998 5 

ACHIEVING RESULTS

Two elements are required for a successful 

Microgravity Combustion Research Program: a cadre 

of high quality researchers and frequent access to low 

gravity environments to conduct experimentation. The 

research community is present, and has demonstrated 

its impact to the combustion science community at 

large through the ground-based research program. 

Flight hardware systems are being developed to carry 

forward with the second element. 

Enabling Hardware

With a transition from a typical 12 day shuttle research 

mission to a permanently operated research platform 

such as ISS, the characteristic of research opportunities 

changes. Both increased frequency of space research 

access and increased sophistication of experimental 

capabilities are anticipated in this new era. 

 

International Space Station Opportunities.—In 2001, 

the Destiny module (U.S. Laboratory) was added as a 

key research capability to the permanently occupied 

International Space Station (ISS). 

To take advantage of the unique environment provided 

by access to space, a complement of hardware and 

operational systems must be developed to perform an 

investigation. Since its inception, the μg Combustion 

Science Program has developed a variety of systems to 

conduct both sub-orbital and on-orbit research. A class 

of hardware, deemed Facility-class, is of particular 

interest as the transition to the ISS era is made. 

Facility-Class Science.—ISS opens up a new frontier 

for research. A substantial increase in on-orbit 

operational time and other resources enable more 

expeditious implementation of research than previously 

possible. To appropriately exploit this opportunity, a 

Facility-class approach to deploying reusable research 

capabilities has been taken. Once deployed, a research 

rack can be outfitted with investigation-specific 

hardware to allow unique experimentation. Upon 

completion, the facility system can be reconfigured and 

reused with a minimal of changes, and do so while 

remaining on-orbit. 

The μg Combustion Science Program intends to take 

full advantage of the deployment of two Facility-class 

systems to conduct combustion research over the next 

decade. The Microgravity Science Glovebox and the 

Combustion Integrated Rack will become the 

workhorses for combustion research aboard the ISS. 

Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG)

The MSG is a double containment sealed laboratory 

with gloveport access to a volume of 260 liters for 

conducting crew-interactive experiments. (ref. 9) It 

provides video, power, thermal control, vacuum vent, 

analog and digital data downlink, experiment 

commanding and telemetry, facility manipulation 

(lights, fans, air flow), and support for crew-operated 

and remote experiment and facility operations. MSG 

was launched to the ISS in June 2002 and is currently 

operational. 

Four combustion science investigators are slated to 

operate within the MSG by 2006. Two investigate 

fundamental combustion science issues in liquid fuels 

combustion (Fiber Supported Droplet Combustion) and 

solid/liquid fuel transitions (Candle Flames). Two are 

applications-based, studying soot generation in gaseous 

flames and smoke detector performance in low gravity 

conditions (Smoke Point in Coflow Experiment and 

Smoke, respectively). 

Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR)

The CIR is a Facility-class rack developed to conduct 

combustion experiments aboard the ISS. The CIR is 

part of the Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF), a 

multi-rack system sharing many common subsystems. 

(ref. 7) The CIR will be launched to ISS on a Shuttle 

flight designated as ULF-2, with launch currently 

slated for July, 2004. 

Deployment of CIR inaugurates a single on-orbit 

capability to conduct a wide-range of combustion 

experiments in a safely contained environment, with 

maximum reuse of common systems such as the 

combustion chamber, combustion science imaging, gas 

supply systems, and diagnostics. Efficiency is gained 

through the one-time deployment of the core 

infrastructure, thereby minimizing upmass, crewtime 

and checkout processes. The end result is a capability 

to conduct more research, more frequently than in the 

previous space shuttle era. 

 

Figure 2 illustrates the concept employed of a multitiered solution to hardware deployment to the ISS. 

Requirements for launch upmass are significantly 

decreased by launching the FCF core racks once, and 

supplying multi-user and PI-specific hardware only as 

needed to support utilization and operations. 
NASA/TM—2002-211998 6 

The first use of CIR will occur in 2004 once on-orbit 

checkouts are complete. The initial set of combustion 

investigations to be conducted study fuel droplets. The 

Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus (MDCA) 

will provide tier-two support to conduct the four 

investigations. Studies include structure and extinction 

of droplet flames, self-generated mixing flows within 

burning bi-component fuels, soot generation of fuel 

droplets, and droplet combustion in slow air-flows. 

(ref. 8) These four investigations address both 

fundamental and applications-based research areas 

within the μg Combustion Science discipline, and all 

benefit greatly from the symmetry made available as a 

result of access to space. 

Utilization of CIR

Presently, fourteen investigations have been selected to 

conduct combustion science experiments in a logically 

grouped fashion within the CIR utilizing four multiuser systems by 2011. Additional participation by 

commercial and international partners will increase the 

CIR utilization through conduct of at least four 

additional investigations in that timeframe. It is 

anticipated that future investigators will be selected 

whose investigation will utilize existing multi-user 

system capabilities. 

There are four tier-two Combustion Science Program 

systems being developed for the CIR: (ref. 10)

- Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus 

(MDCA) for liquids and sprays 

- Flow Enclosure for Novel Investigations in 

Combustion of Solids (FEANICS) for solid fuels 

and fire safety investigations (two systems) 

- Multi-user Gaseous Fuels Apparatus (MGFA) for 

non-pre-mixed gases (NOX emission and 

combustion efficiency studies) 

The multi-user insert concept approach develops as 

much of the tier-two common system as possible. The 

hardware teams and investigators identify the CIR 

capabilities that will meet the sub-field requirements. 

Then a set of common requirements and hardware are 

identified that meet the grouped investigatorsí needs, 

thus becoming the heart of tier-two capabilities. Then 

small PI-specific development efforts will be put in 

place for tier-three to address any requirements not met 

with common hardware. 

An additional benefit to the use of the Facility-class 

and multi-user system development approach is the 

ability to implement desired enhancements—

“desirements”—to the investigation during experiment 

Figure 2. ISS FCF Facility System Partitioning. 

Three-Tier Solution to Satisfy the Requirements and Constraints

SOFTWAR

Fluids and 

Combustion 

Facility

Multi-Use 

Experiment 

Hardware

PI 

Unique 

Equipment

MDCA Payload 

Packages LMM 

Consumables 

- Gases/Filters 

Pi-Unique 

Avionics & 

Software PI-Unique 

Inserts 

PI-Unique 

Diagnostic

CIR SAR FIR 

• Tier 1 - FCF Systems commonly

needed by nearly all Fluids and

Combustion Experiments

- Build once, launch once, use for life

cycle

• Tier 2 - Multi-use experiment

inserts customize FCF to a specific

sub-discipline

- Build once, launch once per

~4 expts, reuse

- Other sub-discipline inserts reuse

some equipment and concepts

Sample 

Cells, etc. 

• Tier 3 - PI unique

experiment equipment

- Build and launch for

each experiment

- May reuse or add to

capability of FCF or

multi-use inserts
NASA/TM—2002-211998 7 

development. Doing so allows investigators to have 

their science peer reviewed at a level which ensures 

adequately justifiable science is planned to achieve 

success, but still entertain possibilities to operationally 

obtain significantly more science in flight. Through use 

of ISS resources released late, such as upmass, as 

launch nears, the experiment project team can provide 

additional fuel samples and/or gas bottles for quick 

integration to take advantage of opportunities. Such 

operational flexibility becomes a cornerstone to the use 

of ISS and Facility-class systems to conduct research in 

space. 

Synergy with other organizations

A significant feature of the ISS combustion research 

capability, as currently structured, is that the 

Combustion Integrated Rack is being made available to 

other users beyond those identified from within the 

Physical Sciences Research Program. In fact, 

partnerships are already being established to enable 

U.S. Commercial Space Center (ref. 8), European, and 

Japanese utilization of the CIR for investigations of 

their choosing. 

μg COMBUSTION SCIENCE PLANS

The era of Microgravity Combustion Science research 

is in transition with plans to use the ISS as host. Two 

investigations remain to be completed aboard the space 

shuttle, on the STS-107 flight, using the CM-2 system. 

The remaining complement of selected flight 

combustion research is slated for the ISS. 

Vision—10 years from now

The μg Combustion Science Program, as part of the 

Physical Science Research activities of NASA, is 

prepared to move forward in a cohesive fashion to 

tackle challenging problems confronting the 

combustion research discipline at large. This effort is 

directed at solving problems of significance to both 

NASA and to the scientific community, ultimately to 

benefit life here on Earth and enable exploration 

beyond Earth’s influence. 

Two specific goals of the μg Combustion Science 

Program address this vision. In ten years, NASA 

Combustion Science research results will have helped 

to achieve the following: 

– The probability of accidental fire in spacecraft will 

have been significantly reduced because of an 

improved understanding of fire risks developed 

from ISS experiments. 

– Knowledge gained through microgravity 

combustion research will have contributed to the 

terrestrial improvements to energy conversion 

efficiency and decreased environmental emissions, 

and to terrestrial and space transportation/ 

propulsion systems effectiveness. 

SUMMARY

The Microgravity Combustion Science Program has 

planned, and is prepared to execute, a set of research 

investigations aboard the International Space Station. 

Use of multi-user and Facility-class systems provide an 

opportunity for a doubling of on-orbit research 

throughput from that achieved prior to the ISS era. 

Upcoming investigations will provide insights to 

fundamental and applied research topics of interest to 

NASA and to the combustion research community at 

large. 

REFERENCES

1. Ross, H.D. (ed), “Microgravity Combustion: Fire 

in Free Fall,” Academic Press, 2001. 

2. “The Combustion Institute,”

http://combustioninstitute.org, 2002. 

3. King, M.K., “NASA’s Evolving Microgravity 

Combustion Science Program” presentation 

(available upon request from author), Sixth 

International Microgravity Combustion Workshop, 

May 22–24, 2001. 

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the 3rd Space Processing Symposium,” NASA 

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Human Exploration and Utilization of Space,”

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2002. 

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Combustion Facility Combustion Integrated Rack 

And The Multi-User Droplet Combustion 

Apparatus: Microgravity Combustion Science 

Using Modular Multi-User Hardware,” IAC–02–

J.5.05, 2002. 

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Research on the International Space Station to 

Industrial Processes on Earth,” IAC–02–T.4.04, 

2002. 

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Glovebox,” AIAA–2001–5089, 2001. 

10. Otero, A.M., “Multi-User Hardware Solutions To 

Combustion Science ISS Research,” AIAA 2001–

5042, 2001. 
This publication is available from the NASA Center for AeroSpace Information, 301–621–0390.

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13

Combustion Research Aboard the ISS Utilizing the Combustion Integrated Rack

and Microgravity Science Glovebox

Thomas J. Sutliff, Angel M. Otero, and David L. Urban

Microgravity; Combustion; Combustion research; Fire safety; Reduced gravity; ISS

Unclassified -Unlimited

Subject Categories: 28, 31, 44, and 45 Distribution: Nonstandard

Prepared for the 53rd International Astronautical Congress cosponsored by the International Astronautical Federation

(IAF), the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), Houston,

Texas, October 10–19, 2002. Responsible person, Thomas J. Sutliff, organization code 6700, 216–433–3887.

The Physical Sciences Research Program of NASA sponsors a broad suite of peer-reviewed research investigating

fundamental combustion phenomena and applied combustion research topics. This research is performed through both

ground-based and on-orbit research capabilities. The International Space Station (ISS) and two facilities, the

Combustion Integrated Rack and the Microgravity Science Glovebox, are key elements in the execution of microgravity

combustion flight research planned for the foreseeable future. This paper reviews the Microgravity Combustion Science

research planned for the International Space Station implemented from 2003 through 2012. Examples of selected

research topics, expected outcomes, and potential benefits will be provided. This paper also summarizes a multi-user

hardware development approach, recapping the progress made in preparing these research hardware systems. Within

the description of this approach, an operational strategy is presented that illustrates how utilization of constrained ISS

resources may be maximized dynamically to increase science through design decisions made during

hardware development.