Collider in Space? LHC Possibilities Beyond Earth

[Al9]

What could change if a collider like LHC would be built and made function in Earth's orbit or on another planet like Mars?

 

[BvU]

Hi Al,$\quad\quad$

There would be less gravity.
$\mathstrut$

 

[mfb]

Building it, powering it, running it and getting the data to computing centers would be much more expensive and difficult, but the particle physics would be the same.

 

[CWatters]

Apparently the vacuum in the LHC is better than that in the "interstellar void"...

https://home.cern/science/engineering/vacuum-empty-interstellar-space

 

[phinds]

What could change if a collider like LHC would be built and made function in Earth's orbit or on another planet like Mars?

The gain would be negligible (if anything) and the increase is cost would be ENORMOUS, so it's not a good idea.

 

[ChrisVer]

hmmm, what would you answer to someone who would ask you "why did we dig up 100m into the Earth to put the collider?"... we need some shielding from "outer" particles (e.g. cosmic rays)

 

[mfb]

hmmm, what would you answer to someone who would ask you "why did we dig up 100m into the Earth to put the collider?"... we need some shielding from "outer" particles (e.g. cosmic rays)

Colliders are not built underground due to cosmic rays. The opposite actually: Muons are routinely used for detector alignment. Too much shielding would be bad.
Colliders are often built underground because (a) you don't have to purchase and use all the land at the surface and (b) it shields everything else against radiation from the collisions.