Assembling AMS

AMS is being built in bits and pieces all over the world. The silicon tracker is in Switzerland, the transition radiation detector in Germany, the magnet in Great Britain. The gas system is in New Jersey, the Unique Support Structure is at a Lockheed Martin plant, the electronics are in Taiwan, detector elements are all over Europe.

All of the parts will come together in Zurich, Switzerland, in 2004. They will be assembled one bit at a time, starting with the magnet (which must be moored and encased in the USS), and with detectors and cabling being added on top. This process must be planned with exquisite care - everything on the inside must be assembled before anything on the outside. When everything is together and working, we will turn it on and start detecting particles.



(back to top) - (back to AMS Tour)