Chris Bergin gives lots of details about the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) experiment, particularly regarding how it finally got to the ISS on Shuttle Endeavour: Endeavour’s ongoing legacy: AMS-02 proving its value | NASASpaceFlight.com
See also the earlier posts here, here and here on the results presented yesterday.
Here is a replay of the NASA press conference discussing the AMS-02 results:
http://youtu.be/g8G7amd9D54
An MIT study finds the so-called ion wind technique, something hobbyists and students have been experimenting with for many years, might offer a practical propulsion system if it can be scaled up: A mighty wind: Thrusters powered by ionic wind may be an efficient alternative to conventional atmospheric propulsion technologies. – MIT News
The first reported positron/electron ratio results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) experiment (see earlier post) on the ISS show consistency with production from dark matter interactions but more data will be needed to insure this is not due to other sources: Shining light on elusive dark matter / DAMA mission – ESA
Scientists are confident that AMS-02 will deliver the data needed to solve the riddle of where the changes in positron ratio come from in the near future.
“Over the coming months, AMS will be able to tell us conclusively whether these positrons are a signal for dark matter, or whether they have some other origin.” says Professor Samuel Ting, the project’s lead investigator.
See also
Last month, Sam Ting, head of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) experiment on the International Space Station hinted that they have found some very interesting results. (See Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to release first results -BBC – Feb.18.13.) Tomorrow the results will be discussed at the CERN accelerator center in Geneva, Switzerland and on NASA TV: First Results of the AMS-02 experiment to be presented on April 3rd at CERN
[ Update: The presentation at CERN is starting at 11:00 am ET today: LIVE WEBCAST Today @ 11 am ET: AMS Science Seminar by Nobel Laureate Sam Ting – Space.com
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NASA TV Briefing Discusses Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Results
WASHINGTON — NASA will hold a news conference at 1:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 3, to discuss the first results of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) experiment. AMS is a state-of-the-art cosmic ray particle physics detector located on the exterior of the International Space Station.
The briefing will be held in the James E. Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters at 300 E St. SW in Washington. It will be broadcast live on NASA Television and streamed on the agency’s website.
The participants include:
— William Gerstenmaier, NASA associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operations
— Samuel Ting (participating by video link), AMS principal investigator, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
— Michael Salamon, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science program manager for AMS
— Mark Sistilli, NASA AMS program manager
Media representatives may ask questions from participating NASA centers or by telephone. To participate by phone, reporters must contact Rachel Kraft at 202-358-1100 or rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov by noon, April 3.
AMS was constructed, tested and operated by an international team of 56 institutes from 16 countries and organized under U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science sponsorship. NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston manages the AMS Integration Project Office.
AMS was launched on space shuttle Endeavour on May 16, 2011. Operations on the space station began three days later. AMS continues operations aboard the station today.
For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more information about AMS and the International Space Station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station