Sochi Olympic Torch Taken On Historic Spacewalk 80
rtoz writes "Two Russian cosmonauts have taken the torch for the Sochi Winter Olympics on its first historic spacewalk. Oleg Kotov and Sergei Ryazansky took the unlit version of the torch through the hatch of the International Space Station. The Olympic torch has been carried into space twice before – in 1996 and 2000 – but it has never left a spaceship. It was not lit aboard the space station as this would consume oxygen and pose a risk to the crew."
Re:one a side note (Score:4, Informative)
Isn't fire just photons? Is it even effected by gravity?
Fire is generally caused by the exothermic oxidation of fuel. If the oxidizer is air, then convection is required to ensure a continuous replenishment of the oxygen. For most fires this convection is induced by gravity pulling in fresh air as the hot air rises. A candle, match, or lighter will not work in zero gravity without artificial convection (such as a fan).
Re:How is this news for nerds? (Score:4, Informative)
No, unless you significantly alter its speed. ISS orbit slowly decays, but if it were to ever really hit the atmosphere at the speed it's traveling, it would burn out fast. This is intentional to ensure that most stuff we launch into orbit never makes it back as a kinetic projectile.
Re:one a side note (Score:5, Informative)
May I direct you to: Can a Candle Burn in Zero Gravity? [about.com]
(The short answer is "yes, but strangely.")
See also: Video (shot with a Russian potato) of a candle burning on Mir [youtube.com].