AMS-02 was specially designed to work as an external module of the International Space Station. It will be the largest scientific payload on the ISS, where it will operate for at least 10 years without intervention of the astronauts living in the station. ISS is a space laboratory uniquely qualified to host payloads of the size of AMS-02. ISS will be able to provide the amount of resources required by AMS-02 (downlink, power, exposure time, reboosting capability), which would much  harder to get on a free flying satellite.

Artist view of AMS-02 installed on the attached S3 location on the main truss of the ISS ( Credit: NASA/JSC)

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HOW AND WHERE

THE MISSION STS-134