Signal Acquired for NASA’s IMAP
Mission controllers for NASA’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) observatory have received full acquisition of signal from the spacecraft.
NASA’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) will help researchers better understand the boundary of the heliosphere, a huge magnetic bubble created by the Sun surrounding and protecting our solar system from harmful radiation across the galaxy. The heliosphere is made up of the continual flow of energetic particles from the Sun, known as the solar wind, and the material found between the stars — the interstellar medium.
The IMAP observatory and its 10 science instruments will reach Lagrange point 1 (L1) in January 2026. At L1 it will be one million miles from Earth toward the Sun, where it will study the physics of how particles gain energy. The L1 vantage point will provide an unobstructed view of solar activity, and it spins once every 15 seconds, allowing the 10 instruments to scan every part of the heliosphere. This observatory will help explain how our solar system supports life.
Additionally, IMAP will support real-time observations of the solar wind and energetic particles, which can produce hazardous conditions in the space environment near Earth. IMAP can provide a roughly 30-minute warning of incoming radiation for astronauts and spacecraft — this is important as NASA prepares for its Artemis II mission around the Moon in early 2026 and future human flights to Mars.
