NASA's IMAP mission to launch on September 23
NASA's IMAP mission is blasting off September 23, 2025, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center.
Along for the ride: NOAA's SWFO-L1 satellite and NASA's Carruthers Geocorona Observatory.
All three will head to a special spot between Earth and the Sun (called L1), about 1496686km away, to keep an eye on solar activity.
Three spacecrafts will ride together
IMAP will map the edge of our solar system and figure out how solar wind charges up particles out in space—using 10 instruments built with help from scientists around the world.
The Carruthers Observatory will study Earth's exosphere using ultraviolet imaging, while SWFO-L1 keeps tabs on dangerous solar particles that could mess with satellites or power grids.
Real-time data will help keep astronauts safe during solar storms
These missions will give us a heads-up—up to an hour—before radiation storms hit, which is huge for keeping astronauts safe during Artemis Moon missions planned for 2026 and 2027.
Plus, all this real-time data means better space weather forecasts and a deeper understanding of how the Sun affects our planet.