China launches dark matter satellite to put DAMPE-ner on US goal of being first to unravel the secrets of the universe
Champions of the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), which took off from Inner Mongolia on Thursday morning, say the unique design will offset its diminutive size to beat ISS-supported AMS-02 to the prize
China launched its Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi desert on Thursday morning with the ambitious goal of overtaking its chief US rival in the race to detect dark matter and, potentially, unravel some of the secrets of the universe.
Dr Chang Jin, its designer, considers at least the first goal to be achievable. He told Chinese state media that even though the DAMPE may not look like much from the outside, its cosmic ray detection range is “ten times that of AMS-02”, referring to the US probe.
Moreover, it is over three times as accurate, he told Xinhua news agency.
“As long as it operates normally, it will open a new window for us,” he was quoted as saying.
The probe was launched after a nearly six-month delay at 8.12am (local time) using a Long March-2D launch vehicle from the 603 Launch Pad from within Ejin Banner of Inner Mongolia’s Alxa League, about 1,600 kilometres north of Beijing.