BEIJING: China is planning to launch its Dark Matter Particle Explorer Satellite, developed to study dark matter and high-energy particles in space, in mid-December after it left Shanghai today for the launch centre in the country’s northwest Gansu Province.
Developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) Satellite left Shanghai with its carrier Long March 2-D rocket and is expected to be launched at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre.
DAMPE, the first of the four scientific satellites employed in the CAS space program, is designed to study dark matter, one of the most important mysteries of physics.
Scientists believe in the existence of dark matter based on the law of universal gravitation, but have never directly detected it.
The satellite and carrier rocket are fully prepared for blast-off after passing the inspection and approval of the CAS, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
