Combustion in Microgravity

Combustion in microgravity differs from Earth because gravity-driven convection is minimal, causing hot gases and combustion products to stay close to the flame instead of rising. This results in more spherical flames, slower oxygen delivery, and potentially less efficient burning. Understanding these behaviors helps scientists improve fire safety and develop new combustion technologies for space exploration. In essence, without gravity's influence, flames behave more symmetrically and burn differently, revealing fundamental insights into fire physics that can also inform cleaner, more efficient combustion systems on Earth.