The PAMELA space mission

The PAMELA (a Payload for Antimatter-Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics) experiment, is a satellite-borne particle spectrometer. It was launched on 15th June 2006 from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, is installed into the Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite. PAMELA is composed of a time-of-flight system, a magnetic spectrometer, a silicon-tungsten electromagnetic calorimeter, an anticoincidence system, a shower tail catcher scintillator and a neutron detector. Among the PAMELA major objectives are the study of charged particles in the cosmic radiation, the investigation of the nature of dark matter, by mean of the measure of the cosmic-ray antiproton and positron spectra over the largest energy range ever achieved. PAMELA has been in a nearly continuous data taking mode since 11th July 2006. The status of the apparatus and performances will be presented.