  The PAMELA cosmic ray detector was launched on June 15th 2006 on board the
Russian Resurs-DK1 satellite, and during ten years of nearly continuous
data-taking it has observed new interesting features in cosmic rays (CRs). In a
decade of operation it has provided plenty of scientific data, covering
different issues related to cosmic ray physics. Its discoveries might change
our basic vision of the mechanisms of production, acceleration and propagation
of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. The antimatter measurements, focus of the
experiment, have set strong constraints to the nature of Dark Matter. Search
for signatures of more exotic processes (such as the ones involving Strange
Quark Matter) was also pursued. Furthermore, the long-term operation of the
instrument had allowed a constant monitoring of the solar activity during its
maximum and a detailed and prolonged study of the solar modulation, improving
the comprehension of the heliosphere mechanisms. PAMELA had also measured the
radiation environment around the Earth, and it detected for the first time the
presence of an antiproton radiation belt surrounding our planet. The operation
of Resurs-DK1 was terminated in 2016. In this article we will review the main
features of the PAMELA instrument and its constructing phases. Main part of the
article will be dedicated to the summary of the most relevant PAMELA results
over a decade of observation
