You are here alone. The top-notch specialists who worked so hard to prepare the experiment are on the ground. And it's on your shoulders to execute. The opposed-flow flame experiment is a good example. The equipment consists of an igniter coil encircling one end of a cellulose sample, which in turn is wrapped around a ceramic core.
Heat sensors probe near the surface, and an oxygen sensor sniffs the air.
A solenoid-activated vacuum bottle sucks in air samples during the burn. The sample and probes are contained in a miniature wind tunnel which allows me to vary the rate of airflow. The whole kit and caboodle is inside a sealed, darkened glovebox, with shrouded cameras peering in. Quite a complex little set-up. I'm not only getting through this experiment, but I'm expanding it a bit, based on my real time observations.