This experiment, one of a series with the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University, investigated striking discontinuous properties of fluid interfaces under low-gravity conditions. While the fluid configurations predicted mathematically were indeed observed during the mission, the transitions between metastable interfaces require further study. A microgravity combustion science glovebox experiment with a number of investigators at the University of California San Diego, Princeton University, and LeRC was also flown on USML-2. The experiment, Fiber Supported Droplet Combustion , proved out an apparatus that allowed fuel droplets to be deployed and ignited quiescently. Unprecedented observations were made of droplets burning for as long as 30 seconds, providing unique data to compare to theoretical predictions.
Preliminary evidence suggests that fuel extinction parameters are in agreement with theory.
Soot production, a combustion product of enormous practical and theoretical interest, was also observed, in some cases far more than expected. Further analysis is underway. OARE data was recorded on board, and for the first time, downlinked in real time. The crew of USML-2 were very interested in the OARE quasistatic data, since many of the experiments flown on this mission were particularly sensitive to these accelerations. The crew wanted to provide the best possible environment.