COSMIC: Combustion Synthesis under Microgravity Conditions

The results of experiments conducted to study combustion synthesis under given microgravity conditions are presented. Self-propagating combustion synthesis processes involve several stages that are significantly affected by gravity: melting of reactants and products, and densification of liquid products. The results show that the addition of inert reactants leads to heat substraction and to a decrease in combustion temperature. Combustion front quenching experiments revealed that the extinction of the combustion wave occurred earlier in microgravity.