NASA balks at Congressional request to launch particle physics experiment
NPR: NASA has scheduled just 10 more space shuttle flights before retiring its fleet for good. But the space agency may have to add one more mission, to bring a seven-ton $1.5 billion physics experiment into space.
Related links:
NASA budget passes full House S&T committee
Physics Today
House committee clears shuttle for AMS flight
Physics Today
Comments
This experiment, which is designed to detect antimatter is important, not only for the study of fundamental particle physics, but also for the study of the nature of the material contents of the cosmos itself. In fact, the detection of certain types of antimatter can have bearing on whether or not there are large scale concentrations of antimatter elements in interstellar, intergalactic, or extragalactic space.
Posted by: James M. Essig | June 12, 2008 11:31 AM