In this experiment a basic technique to test response of a silicon microstrip detector to minimum ionizing particles from90Srbeta source is presented. The silicon detector used in this test is made of double sided microstrip sensors coupled to a front‐end electronics, both used in the AMS01 experiment [Alcaraz et al.,]. Using betas from90Srsource, placed on top of the active area of the silicon, and a plastic scintillator coupled to a photomultiplier, it is possible to trigger the readout system of the silicon detector. The setup of the silicon detector system is described and the performance results are analyzed. © 2003 American Institute of Physics