NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) is undergoing pre-launch preparations at Astrotech, with a launch scheduled for no earlier than September 2025. This mission is dedicated to studying the heliosphere, the Sun's protective magnetic bubble, to improve space weather forecasting and safeguard Earth's technology.
IMAP will orbit the Sun at Lagrange Point 1, approximately one million miles from Earth, enabling it to measure the solar wind and scan the heliosphere. The spacecraft is equipped with 10 scientific instruments designed to map this extensive magnetic region. These instruments will analyze particles streaming from interstellar space, providing insights into the heliosphere's boundary and its interaction with the solar wind.
Prior to its arrival at Astrotech on May 10, 2025, IMAP underwent rigorous thermal vacuum testing at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center to simulate the harsh conditions of launch and space travel. Led by Princeton University, IMAP represents the fifth mission in NASA's Solar Terrestrial Probes program. The mission's data will provide critical real-time space weather information, benefiting both human space exploration and technological systems on Earth.