Astronauts play with fire in space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - Astronauts aboard space shuttle Columbia began an intense day of science experiments yesterday as they…

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - Astronauts aboard space shuttle Columbia began an intense day of science experiments yesterday as they willingly set fires in near zero gravity.

Pilot Scott Horowitz ignited different materials as part of a test to see how air motion affects the spread of fire. A better understanding of fire in space will help predict how fires will behave on Earth and aboard spacecraft, NASA said.

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