A hoist transfers the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer AMS to a rotation stand to begin processing for flight.

High overhead in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a hoist transfers the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to a rotation stand to begin processing for flight.

AMS, a state-of-the-art particle physics detector, is designed to operate as an external experiment on the International Space Station. It will use the unique environment of space to study the universe and its origin by searching for dark matter. AMS will fly to the station aboard space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission targeted to launch February, 2011. For more information visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller