NASA has just completed a safety experiment that saw it ignite the largest controlled fire in space aboard an Orbital ATK Cygnus supply spacecraft on its return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS).

The two-and-a-half hour-long fire in a specially built compartment aboard the unmanned Cygnus spacecraft designated OA-6 began in the early evening of June 14, New York time. NASA's Glenn Research Center was in charge of the experiment called SAFFIRE for "Spacecraft Fire Experiment."

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It said this is the first of three SAFFIRE Experiments that together will give NASA a better understanding of how microgravity and limited oxygen affect the properties of a fire. Data from SAFFIRE will be used to improve fire safety on future crewed spacecraft and help NASA in choosing materials for future vehicles. It will study a realistic fire in microgravity on a space vehicle, looking at flame growth, temperatures and oxygen.

The SAFFIRE experiment was the largest fire in space since the accidental blaze on the Soviet Union's manned Mir space station in February 1997 that almost killed its entire crew.

NASA provided updates to the experiment in a series of tweets. One of these tweets said: "The #Saffire experiment, designed to understand fire in microgravity, is now burning successfully. #NASAexplores."

The three-part SAFFIRE Experiment I was conducted inside the SAFFIRE Experiment Unit measuring 53 x 90 x 133 centimeters affixed to internal structure of Cygnus by conventional cargo straps. Set alight inside this unit was sample material 0.4 x 1 meter in size consisting of a panel of thin material. Ignition was accomplished with a hot wire.

The next two experiments in the three-part SAFFIRE study set fire to samples the size of a hand towel. Two of the SAFFIRE Experiments examined how flame spreads in larger samples. One experiment tested different materials to assess their flammability and self extinguishing properties in the space environment.

"A spacecraft fire is one of the greatest crew safety concerns for NASA and the international space exploration community," said Gary Ruff, SAFFIRE project manager.

After the microgravity fires, Cygnus will remain in space for several days to ensure the information from the SAFFIRE Experiment is sent back to Earth. NASA said the experiment will be repeated two more times this year with other Cygnus capsules.

"SAFFIRE seeks to answer two questions," said David Urban, principal investigator. "Will an upward spreading flame continue to grow or will microgravity limit the size? Secondly, what fabrics and materials will catch fire and how will they burn?"

Tagsman-made fire inspace, NASA, Orbital ATK Cygnus, SAFFIRE, Spacecraft Fire Experiment