Daily Mail by WILIAM HUNTER 4/27/2026
NASA has revealed plans to light a fire on the moon to see what would happen during a disaster aboard future lunar missions.
Of all the dangers astronauts face while travelling through the vacuum of space, it might be surprising that fire is one of the most terrifying.
This is because fire doesn't behave the same in low–gravity environments, like the moon or on the International Space Station (ISS), as it does on Earth.
This means materials that aren't flammable on Earth can actually burn for a very long time out in space.
NASA researchers propose conducting the first–ever flammability test on the lunar surface, with a planned launch date later this year.
Four fuel samples will be placed in a sealed chamber and flown to the moon as part of an uncrewed Commercial Lunar Payload Service (CLPS).
These pieces of material will then be ignited while cameras and other sensors monitor how the flame spreads and how much oxygen it consumes.
As NASA prepares to return to the moon in 2028 with the Artemis IV mission, scientists say that these tests will be critical to ensuring the astronauts' safety.
More:
https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-15768361/NASA-wants-light-FIRE-moon.html
