Potential Commercial Applications From Microgravity Combustion Research

The paper entitled "Potential Commercial Applications From Combustion and Fire Research in Space" reviews the status of potential commercial applications derived from research on combustion in microgravity environments encountered in orbiting spacecraft. Such research contributes to the understanding of basic combustion processes, including those that occur in normal Earth gravity. Research topics discussed include solid-surface combustion, droplet combustion, and formation of soot. Potential applications include fire safety in spacecraft and terrestrial systems, innovative combustor designs for aerospace and ground propulsion systems, sensors and controls for combustion processes, and formation of advanced materials by use of combustion-synthesis processes.