NASA and NOAA are preparing for the launch of three pivotal space weather missions in September 2025. These missions aim to gather crucial data on solar activity and its effects on Earth and the wider solar system. The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) will journey into the heliosphere to study the Sun's energy and particle interactions at its boundary, enhancing our understanding of cosmic radiation and its impact on our planet. IMAP will also transmit real-time data to aid in space weather forecasting.
Joining IMAP are two rideshare missions: the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory and the Space Weather Follow-On Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) spacecraft. The Carruthers mission will focus on Earth's exosphere, the outermost layer of our atmosphere, by capturing images of its ultraviolet glow, known as the geocorona. This will provide insights into how space weather affects our atmosphere. The SWFO-L1 spacecraft, a new endeavor for NOAA, is designed for continuous operational space weather observations, including early warnings for solar storms and monitoring space weather conditions. This marks NOAA's first observatory dedicated solely to operational space weather monitoring.
All three spacecraft are slated for launch on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 7:32 a.m. EDT, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA will provide comprehensive live coverage of the launch, beginning at 6:40 a.m. EDT across its platforms. These missions are vital due to the increasing reliance on technology susceptible to space weather events, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can disrupt communications, satellite operations, and power grids.
The data collected will improve predictive models, enabling better preparation and mitigation strategies for these potentially disruptive events. The insights gained will not only benefit Earth-based infrastructure but also support future human space exploration endeavors, including the Artemis missions. Leading up to the launch, NASA has scheduled several media events, including pre-launch news conferences on Sunday, September 21, 2025, and opportunities for media interviews with mission experts on Monday, September 22, 2025.