Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #30947: Exploring Fire and Materials in Microgravity with Hermes Cassette-1

Understanding how materials behave under extreme conditions is critical for advancing both space and Earth technologies. The Hermes Cassette-1 experiment brought this concept to space by investigating combustion and material properties in microgravity.

Developed collaboratively by NASA’s Johnson Space Center, T STAR, and the University of Central Florida, Hermes Cassette-1 is part of the Hermes facility—a reconfigurable platform designed for microgravity research in physical sciences. It helps researchers study how different materials react to heat, burn, or change state when the effects of gravity are minimized.

Why study fire in space? In microgravity, flames behave very differently than on Earth. Instead of rising, they form spherical shapes, and the combustion process slows down. These differences help scientists gain insights into fundamental chemical reactions and heat transfer processes that are obscured by gravity on Earth.

Hermes Cassette-1 focused on testing how specific materials ignite, burn, or change when exposed to controlled conditions. The results are important for fire safety aboard spacecraft, improving material selection, and even designing better fire-resistant materials for Earth.

Conducted during Expeditions 59/60 and 64, this research supports safer space habitats and can influence fire safety standards in buildings and vehicles on Earth.

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