PRESS RELEASE 97-18



Lori J. Rachul
NASA Lewis Research Center
(Bus: 216/433-8806)



NASA Lewis researchers launch 11 experiments on next Shuttle Mission



CLEVELAND, OH-- Eleven NASA Lewis Research Center experiments will fly 
on the STS-83 mission as part of the Microgravity Science Laboratory 
(MSL-1), a research facility that will provide the bridge between 
present Spacelab and future International Space Station operations. 
Space shuttle Columbia is schedule for liftoff on April 3, 1997.



Concentrating on NASA’s efforts to further understand the subtle 
and complex phenomena associated with the influence of gravity on 
many aspects of daily life, NASA Lewis researchers have developed 
experiments that focus on Lewis’ expertise -- fluid physics, 
combustion science, materials science and acceleration measurement 
disciplines.



NASA Lewis experiments flying on MSL-1 are:



Combustion Module-1 (CM-1) - This is a state-of-the-art space 
laboratory for microgravity combustion science. Designed, fabricated 
and assembled by NASA Lewis engineers and technicians, CM-1 will 
accommodate a variety of combustion experiments through the use of 
interchangeable experiment hardware.



Laminar Soot Processes (LSP) - A fundamental combustion science 
experiment that will provide an opportunity to improve our 
understanding of soot formation in flames. Soot is the major source 
of radiated heat from fires and is a significant pollutant. 
Understanding of soot processes is crucial to the development of next 
generation propulsion and power generation systems along with 
improving the ability to control unwanted fires. This experiment will 
be conducted in CM-1.



Structure of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-number (SOFBALL) - This 
experiment, also to be conducted in CM-1, will study two important 
processes necessary for combustion: chemical reaction and heat and 
mass transport. Data collected from this mission will be compared to 
existing models of flame structures. These data are crucial both for 
fire safety assessment and for the design of efficient clean-burning 
combustion engines.



<Droplet Combustion Experiment (DCE) - Designed to investigate the 
fundamental combustion aspects of single isolated droplets under 
different pressures and ambient oxygen concentrations for a range of 
droplet sizes. Experimental data will be utilized to test theoretical 
models of droplet combustion that may lead to more efficient, cleaner 
and safer utilization of fossil fuels.



Fiber Supported Droplet Combustion Investigations-2 (FSDC-2) - This 
glovebox investigation will continue to study fundamental phenomena 
related to liquid-fuel-droplet combustion in air. This understanding 
will advance technology in areas of energy production propulsion, 
mitigation of combustion-generated pollution and the control of fire 
hazards in handling liquid combustibles.



Coarsenng in Solid-Liquid Mixtures (CSLM) - This materials science 
experiment is designed to investigate the kinetics of competitive 
particle growth within a liquid matrix. During coarsening, small 
particles shrink by losing atoms to larger particles causing the 
larger particles to grow or coarsen.



Physics of Hard Spheres (PHaSE) - Developed to increase our 
understanding of the physics involved in phase transitions of liquids 
to solids. Data from this investigation could result in new materials 
processing techniques in the future.



Gravitation Role in Liquid-Phase Sintering (LPS) - An investigation to 
study sintering--a process by which metal powders are fused together 
using heat in a liquid medium. Flight data will help introduce new 
industrial applications of liquid phase sintering, resulting in new 
and improved metallic products for use in aeronautics, automotive and 
aerospace industries.



Diffusion Processes in Molten Semiconductors (DPIMS) - This experiment 
will measure the diffusion coefficients of trace impurities of 
gallium, silicon and antimony in molten germanium. This is important 
because uniform diffusion of dopants in semiconductor materials will 
greatly improve the performance of electronic components fabricated 
from these materials, as well as materials having similar behavioral 
characteristics.



Capillary-Driven Heat Transfer (CHT) - This glovebox investigation 
will study the instabilities and failures in capillary pump loop heat 
transfer systems. Capillary pumped loops are devices used to transfer 
heat from one location to another, such as from electrical components 
to space radiators.



Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) and Orbital Acceleration 
Research Experiment (OARE) - Both Lewis-developed instruments, they 
will monitor and record the microgravity environment onboard MSL-1. 
The data collected by these systems will provide investigators with 
insight into conditions that might affect the results of their 
experiments. This will be the 17th flight for SAMS, making it the 
second most flown microgravity payload in history.



By thoroughly testing these new procedures, hardware and systems, 
MSL-1 is helping ensure that space station research has the best 
possible start.



Since 1990, NASA Lewis has had over 80 microgravity 
experiments/instruments successfully flown on 30 missions. Soon 
science operations now on the space shuttle will be transferred to 
the International Space Station (ISS). Currently, multi-user 
experiment hardware designed and developed at NASA Lewis is being 
readied for installation on ISS.

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