Two of the most compelling issues facing astrophysics and cosmology are to understand the nature of the dark matter that pervades the universe and to understand the apparent absence of cosmological antimatter.

A sensitive search for exotic matter (dark matter and cosmological antimatter ) in direct way, or via its annihilation signature superimposed upon the measured energy spectra of secondary antiprotons and positrons, can be performed in an optimal way with a space-based instrument capable of spanning a wide energy range.

Pamela, a Polar-Orbiting Magnetic-Rigidity Spectrometer, is a state of the art apparatus that will measure abundances and energy dependent spectra of cosmic-ray electrons, positrons, antiprotons, and light nuclei and antinuclei over a range of energies from 50 MeV (/nucleon) to more than 150 GeV (/nucleon).

It will be carried out in orbit on board of the Russian satellite Resurs-01 n.5 in the first months of 2003.

Pamela is a part of the Russian Italian Mission, RIM, also consisting of the missions Nina 1, at present flying on board of the Russian satellite Resurs-01 n.4, Nina 2, installed on the MITA satellite of the Italian Space Agency, scheduled to be launched on May 2000, both dedicated to the measurements of the nuclear and isotopic components of the anomalous, solar and galactic cosmic rays at low energy, and Si-Eye 1 and 2, now operating on board of the MIR Space Station, to study the internal radiation environment and the "Light Flash" phenomenon.