NASA has launched a space-based probe that will study the origins of highly energetic particles, known as cosmic rays. Sent into space by a Space X rocket yesterday, the Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass for the International Space Station (ISS-CREAM) will now be installed on the Japanese Experiment Module, where it will study cosmic rays for three years. <\/p>\n
Cosmic rays zoom through space at nearly the speed of light and consist of a range of particles from protons to carbon atoms. When cosmic rays enter the Earth's atmosphere they collide with another particle setting off a cascade of secondary particles. While Earth-bound detectors only see the secondary particles, a probe that is above Earth's atmosphere will be able to spot the primary particles. <\/p>\n
ISS-CREAM is a successor to six similar missions that have flown on long-duration balloons, which began in 2004 with the first flight of the Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass mission. \"The mysterious nature of cosmic rays serves as a reminder of just how little we know about our universe,\" says Eun-Suk Seo from the University of Maryland, who is the lead investigator for ISS-CREAM. \"This is a very exciting time for us as well as others in the field of high-energy particle astrophysics.\" <\/p>\n
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Cosmic-ray detector heads to the International Space Station - physicsworld.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NASA has launched a space-based probe that will study the origins of highly energetic particles, known as cosmic rays. Continue reading