ISS dark-matter detector may have another failing cooling pump

Nature : When it was mounted to the International Space Station in 2011, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) was expected to last three years, during which time it would search for evidence of dark matter in cosmic rays. The experiment is currently in its fourth year of operation, with nine more planned for its extended mission. However, last year one of its four cooling pumps failed, and another is beginning to show signs of trouble. The pumps work to keep the system cold while the AMS is exposed to sunlight, and only one pump is run at a time. According to Samuel Ting of MIT and head of the AMS science group at CERN, despite the troubles, the AMS is expected to operate for the full extended mission. If necessary, an updated operating program can be uploaded that adjusts the way the functioning pumps work, which could extend their lifetimes. Thermal blankets could also be installed around the pumps to help reduce their loads and control temperatures. Mark Sistilli, the AMS program manager at NASA, says that it could take 6 to 12 months to decide on a solution.