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Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR)

The Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR), located in the U.S. Laboratory Module (Destiny), enables investigators to perform combustion research to understand the fundamentals of the combustion process, understand fire safety, and methods for suppression of fires in space. The CIR’s main feature is a 100-liter combustion chamber to provide the necessary safety features necessary for the various combustion investigations and is the only rack on ISS dedicated to combustion experimentation. Developed by NASA’s Glenn Research Center, the CIR was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in November 2008 by the Space Shuttle (STS-126).

Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR)
European Space Agency astronaut Frank De Winne, Expedition 20 flight engineer, works with the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

The CIR provides up to 90% of the required hardware to perform a majority of future microgravity combustion experiments on board the ISS. The remaining 10% of the hardware (fuel, igniters, etc.) is provided by the specific investigation teams. A significant amount of diagnostic hardware is designed for many of the planned experiments. The CIR accommodates experiments that address critical needs in the areas of spacecraft fire safety (i.e., fire prevention, detection and suppression), fundamental understanding of the combustion process, flame spread, soot production, material selection, power generation, and incineration of solid wastes.

ACME
The ACME insert in the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR)

ACME

Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME) ACME is focused on advanced combustion technology via fundamental microgravity research. The primary goal is to improve efficiency and reduce pollutant emission in practical terrestrial combustion. A secondary objective is fire prevention, especially for spacecraft. Currently, ACME includes five independent experiments (see ACME Experiments below) investigating laminar, gaseous, non-premixed … Read the rest ⇢

MDCA
NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, Expedition 37 flight engineer, works on the Multi-User Droplet Combustion Apparatus (MDCA) Chamber Insert Assembly (CIA) at a maintenance work station in the Harmony node of the International Space Station.

MDCA

Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus (MDCA) The Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus is a multi-user facility designed to accommodate different droplet combustion science experiments. The MDCA will conduct experiments using the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) of the NASA Glenn Research Center’s Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF). The payload is planned for the International Space Station. The MDCA, … Read the rest ⇢

Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (SoFIE)

Fire can be a catastrophic hazard for manned spacecraft. NASA mitigates the risk of fire with the implementation of NASA-STD-6001, which establishes program requirements for evaluation, testing, and selection of materials to preclude unsafe conditions related to flammability, odor, offgassing, and fluid compatibility. NASA-STD-6001 impelements a 1-g flame propagation test for proposed space flight materials … Read the rest ⇢

FLARE

Flammability Limits At Reduced-g Experiment (FLARE) To develop a methodology to correlate material flammability limits in normal gravity and microgravity, which allows quantitative estimation of material flammability limit in microgravity based on the flammability data obtained on the ground. The project involves an international team including JAXA, NASA, ESA and universities in Japan, USA and … Read the rest ⇢

Image Gallery

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir performs works to swap out a failed computer hard drive that supports experiments inside the Combustion Integrate Rack.
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir performs works to swap out a failed computer hard drive that supports experiments inside the Combustion Integrated Rack aboard the International Space Station’s U.S. Destiny laboratory module.
NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy works on the Combustion Integrated Rack, a device that enables safe fuel, flame and soot studies in microgravity.
NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy works on the Combustion Integrated Rack, a device that enables safe fuel, flame and soot studies in microgravity.
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Expedition 40 flight engineer, sets up the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR).
In the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory, NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Expedition 40 flight engineer, sets up the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) for more ground-commanded tests.
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