NASA's new mission will help us understand solar system's boundaries
NASA has sent the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) into space from Florida this week.
Its main job? To explore the heliosphere—the giant bubble created by solar wind that acts like our solar system's personal shield against harmful cosmic radiation.
By mapping this boundary, IMAP hopes to reveal how the Sun protects us and how we're connected to the wider galaxy.
IMAP will be at a special spot called L1
IMAP is parked about a million miles from Earth at a special spot called L1, where it will beam back real-time data on solar winds and energetic particles.
This info will help scientists improve space weather forecasts, which is super important for keeping astronauts, satellites, and even your phone safe.
The data will also support future missions to the Moon and Mars by warning of dangerous solar storms.