Thanks to PAMELA (Payload for Antimatter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics), the first satellite designed to detect both antimatter and dark matter, physicist's theories of Earth being surrounded by a thin layer of antimatter has substantially strengthened. Launched in 2006, this 1.2 meter tall space antimatter detector has been catching antiprotons and positrons...
According to Discovery News, "PAMELA scientists analyzed 850 days worth of data, focusing on those periods when the satellite was in the anomalous region. And lo and behold, they detected a small amount of antiprotons trapped in the Van Allen belts. We do mean "small": 28 antiprotons. It's still roughly three times more than one would expect to find from the solar wind, so it seems as if the hypothesis is correct."
According to BBC News, "The researchers say there may be enough to implement a scheme using antimatter to fuel future spacecraft." Ultimately, if James Bickford's concept within his NASA final report, "EXTRACTION OF ANTIPARTICLES CONCENTRATED IN PLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS," goes into fruition the world will have expanded some resources and be able make advancements in the outer space.
As juvenile as it may sound, I cannot help but think of the 1960s cartoon show, The Jetsons, where individuals not only travel around in space, but also are capable of living in outer space. Certainly, making fuel spacecraft advancements will lead us in this direction, but not as soon as I like. Till then, I guess it will be more reruns of The Jetsons for me!
Written By: Jenna Elizabeth
Sources:
Wired
Space Scan
Discovery
BBC
Scificool
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