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NASA is preparing to launch a new observatory designed to study the boundary that shields Earth from harmful cosmic radiation. The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) will lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on September 23 at 7:32 a.m. Eastern Time. Two smaller missions from NASA and NOAA will also fly with this mission.
The target of IMAP is the heliosphere, a vast bubble formed by the Sun’s constant stream of charged particles. This bubble blocks a large share of galactic cosmic rays (high-energy particles produced by exploding stars) that can damage both living tissue and spacecraft electronics. Scientists hope IMAP will show how the solar wind interacts with this outer boundary and how conditions change over time.
The spacecraft carries ten instruments, including detectors that can track energetic neutral atoms. These particles are created when solar wind collides with interstellar gas, and measuring them will allow researchers to build a three-dimensional picture of the heliosphere. The information is expected to improve models of space weather, much like how Earth-orbiting satellites have improved weather forecasts on our planet.
Two other spacecraft will launch alongside IMAP. The Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, named after physicist George Carruthers, will study Earth’s outermost hydrogen layer, known as the geocorona. It will use ultraviolet cameras similar to those Carruthers developed for the Apollo program to measure how solar activity affects the region.
The second passenger, NOAA’s Space Weather Follow-On Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1), will position itself about one million miles toward the Sun at a spot known as Lagrange Point 1. From there, it will monitor solar flares and massive eruptions called coronal mass ejections. These events can cause geomagnetic storms strong enough to disrupt power grids and satellite systems on Earth.
Space weather missions are not new. NASA and the European Space Agency launched the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) in 1995, which has provided continuous monitoring of solar activity. SWFO-L1 builds on this legacy with upgraded coronagraphs that will give more accurate warnings of solar storms. Such alerts have already saved billions of dollars by helping satellite operators prepare for damaging events.
NASA will begin live coverage of the launch at 6:40 a.m. Eastern on NASA+ and other platforms. The agency is also hosting news briefings on September 21 and 22, where experts will explain the science goals and answer questions submitted online with the hashtag #AskNASA.
After launch, all three spacecraft will travel to Lagrange Point 1. From this vantage point, IMAP will continue the work started by the Voyager probes, which first crossed into interstellar space decades ago and found a turbulent boundary where the solar wind meets the galaxy beyond.
Understanding the heliosphere is not only a matter of curiosity. As human spaceflight moves beyond low Earth orbit, astronauts will face higher levels of radiation without the protection of Earth’s magnetic field. Data from IMAP and its rideshare partners could help design safer shielding for deep-space travel while improving forecasts that protect satellites, airlines, and power systems back on Earth.
