The TOF counters of the AMS-02 experiment: space qualification tests and beam test results

The scintillator counters of the TOF system of AMS-02 is beeing constructed to match the needs of the AMS-02 experiment that is armed by a high aperture superconducting dipole magnet. The goals of the TOF-02 hodoscopes actually are: to give the fast trigger to the all sub-detectors of AMS-02; to measure the particle velocity ensuring a 1×109 albedo rejection; to measure the absolute charge by particle energy loss, up to at least Z=20. In spring of 2005 all the TOF counter planes will be assembled and the space qualification tests will be performed. A description of the first test results and of the TOF performances will be given.