Fires can't start in space itself because there is no oxygen – or indeed anything else – in a vacuum. Yet inside the confines of spacecraft, and freed from gravity, flames behave in strange and beautiful ways. They burn at cooler temperatures, in unfamiliar shapes and are powered by unusual chemistry.

How does fire burn in space without oxygen?

Without gravity, hot air expands but doesn't move upward. The flame persists because of the diffusion of oxygen, with random oxygen molecules drifting into the fire. Absent the upward flow of hot air, fires in microgravity are dome-shaped or spherical—and sluggish, thanks to meager oxygen flow.

How would fire burn in space?

Fire is a different beast in space than it is on the ground. When flames burn on Earth, heated gases rise from the fire, drawing oxygen in and pushing combustion products out. In microgravity, hot gases don't rise. ... Space flames can also burn at a lower temperature and with less oxygen than fires on Earth.

Can things catch fire in space?

In space, of course, you can't have any fires because there isn't any oxidizer (i.e. oxygen) to sustain the combustion process. ... In space, of course, you can't have any fires because there isn't any oxidizer (i.e. oxygen) to sustain the combustion process.

Can fire burn on Mars?

We know that fire can only burn naturally on our planet, and Mars doesn't have a dense atmosphere or enough oxygen to allow flames to burn – but space station and spacecraft fires are a very real danger, and with crews living and working in close proximity, fire would be disastrous.

How Fire Burns in Space

20 related questions found

Can fire exist without oxygen?

A fire cannot burn without oxygen. ... It should be noted that in the presence of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, stars heavier than the Sun may burn hydrogen to helium by using the C, N and O as catalysts. Even in these stars, however, an absence of oxygen does not prevent nuclear burning.

How is space cold?

In space, there is no air or water, so the only way to lose heat is by radiation, where your warm and wiggly atoms release energy directly into space.

What does space smell like?

Astronaut Thomas Jones said it "carries a distinct odor of ozone, a faint acrid smell…a little like gunpowder, sulfurous." Tony Antonelli, another space-walker, said space "definitely has a smell that's different than anything else." A gentleman named Don Pettit was a bit more verbose on the topic: "Each time, when I ...

Can astronauts smoke in space?

In 1959, NASA prohibited the “Original Seven” astronauts from smoking cigars and cigarettes. While that ban may have applied to the astronauts, it never prevented the Mission Control team from lighting up celebratory cigars – especially in the case of the nearly doomed Apollo 13 mission!

Is space completely silent?

In space, no one can hear you scream. This is because there is no air in space – it is a vacuum. Sound waves cannot travel through a vacuum. ... Space is usually regarded as being completely empty.

Is the sun technically on fire?

Answer: The Sun does not "burn", like we think of logs in a fire or paper burning. The Sun glows because it is a very big ball of gas, and a process called nuclear fusion is taking place in its core.

Why can't you light a candle in a spaceship?

Diffusion feeds the flame with oxygen and allows carbon dioxide to move away from the point of combustion, so the rate of burning is slowed. The flame of a candle burned in microgravity is an almost invisible blue, so invisible that video cameras on the Mir Space Station could not even detect the color.

What fire looks like in space?

Explanation: What does fire look like in space? In the gravity on Earth, heated air rises and expands, causing flames to be teardrop shaped. In the microgravity of the air-filled International Space Station (ISS), however, flames are spheres.

Do matches work in space?

In zero gravity, there is no up or down. That means the heat generated by the match will not cause the air to rise and isn't being replenished with fresh oxygen. That also means the match flame will appear dimmer than it would in Earth's atmosphere.

Can u get pregnant in space?

As a result NASA's official policy forbids pregnancy in space. Female astronauts are tested regularly in the 10 days prior to launch. And sex in space is very much frowned upon.

Do we age faster in space?

Flying through outer space has dramatic effects on the body, and people in space experience aging at a faster rate than people on Earth. ... These studies showed that space alters gene function, function of the cell's powerhouse (mitochondria), and the chemical balance in cells.

Is it hard to sleep in space?

In space, sleeping on the floor is just as comfortable as sleeping on the wall: there is no difference in the weightless environment. However, since astronauts are used to sleeping on a mattress on Earth, their sleeping bag has a rigid cushion, to exert pressure on their back.

Can you fart in space?

Air is lighter than solids and liquids, which is why it rises in your stomach and you can easily burp up gas on Earth. The lack of gravity in space means the air in astronauts' stomachs doesn't separate from ingested food, so burping could expel more than just gas.

Has anyone floated away in space?

On February 7, 1984, Bruce McCandless became the first human to float free from any earthly anchor when he stepped out of the space shuttle Challenger and flew away from the ship. ... McCandless, who died on December 21, 2017, had a long and storied history in NASA's space program.

How long is 1 hour in space?

Answer: That number times 1 hour is 0.0026 seconds. So a person at that deep space location would have a clock that would run for one hour, while that person calculated that our clock ran for 59 minutes, 59.9974 seconds.

Why is space black?

Because space is a near-perfect vacuum — meaning it has exceedingly few particles — there's virtually nothing in the space between stars and planets to scatter light to our eyes. And with no light reaching the eyes, they see black.

How hot is the moon?

When sunlight hits the moon's surface, the temperature can reach 260 degrees Fahrenheit (127 degrees Celsius). When the sun goes down, temperatures can dip to minus 280 F (minus 173 C).

Does your body decay in space?

If you do die in space, your body will not decompose in the normal way, since there is no oxygen. If you were near a source of heat, your body would mummify; if you were not, it would freeze. If your body was sealed in a space suit, it would decompose, but only for as long as the oxygen lasted.