PAMELA (Payload for Anti Matter Exploration and Light Nuclei Astrophysics)

PAMELA (Payload for Anti Matter Exploration and Light Nuclei Astrophysics) is a space-based scientific instrument designed to study cosmic rays—high-energy particles from space. Its main goal is to detect and analyze antimatter particles, like antiprotons and positrons, as well as ordinary nuclei, to understand their origins and behavior in the universe. By examining these particles, PAMELA helps scientists explore fundamental questions about cosmic phenomena, dark matter, and the matter-antimatter imbalance. Operating since 2006 aboard a satellite, PAMELA provides valuable data to deepen our understanding of the universe’s composition and the processes within it.