IMAP - Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe
Share
⁉️ Did you know that IMAP is alerting NASA Solar System Exploration and NASA Artemis crew members about space weather conditions during their trip around the Moon? ⁉️
IMAP's IALiRT system provides data from 5 instruments observing the passing solar wind and activity - SWE, CoDICE, SWAPI, HIT and MAG - to alert NASA mission operations on Earth and the Artemis crew about 30 minutes ahead of any solar weather events coming their way, giving them time to take safety precautions.
⁉️ Did you know that IMAP is alerting NASA -and NASA Artemis crew members about space weather conditions during their trip around the Moon? ⁉️
IMAP's IALiRT system provides data from 5 instruments observing the passing solar wind and activity - SWE, CoDICE, SWAPI, HIT and MAG - to alert NASA mission operations on Earth and the Artemis crew about 30 minutes ahead of any solar weather events coming their way, giving them time to take safety precautions.
03/08/2026
Happy International Women's Day from the women of IMAP! This team is full of incredible women around the world who make space science possible - let's celebrate their hard work, brilliance, and exemplary leadership 🌟💫🚀
How are you marking ?
03/07/2026
Thanks to Princeton University for sharing our IMAP celebration event and an insightful panel discussion from our PI & team.
Congrats to our team & affiliate institutions on a picture-perfect launch, arrival at LaGrange Point 1, and First Light Data! 💫🌟👏🏻
The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, a Princeton-led NASA mission to study the Sun and everything it touches, has officially begun its science mission: https://bit.ly/4rZtiQk
The mission will explore and map the heliosphere — the invisible cosmic shield surrounding our solar system — and to answer some great unknowns about how particles accelerate in the solar wind. The spacecraft, instruments and science preparation involved a team of institutions and major suppliers that spans 82 U.S. partners in 35 states, plus the United Kingdom, Poland, Switzerland, Germany and Japan, under the leadership of Princeton astrophysicist David McComas.
Thanks to IMAP Space Instrument Engineer Ted Roemer and his student team, a Lego IMAP has been designed and created - we can't wait to build our own 🧱🚀💫
Last week at our IMAP celebration, Ted and others from our team shared their work on the spacecraft, related research, and 3D-printed designs. Lego IMAP will be available for everyone to download instructions and order the correct bricks to build yourself! Stay tuned for that link 🔗
For more IMAP joy, head over to the official Insta account and check out their new post on the mission!
Hey - check out our newest entry in the NASA Lego family! 🌞🌟🚀
03/03/2026
A night of IMAP celebrations! 💫🎊☀️
Last week, the community gathered for a celebration of IMAP's successful launch, first light data, and the amazing teamwork that goes into a mission of this scale. After an introduction from Jo Dunkley (Professor of Astrophysics & OBE🇬🇧) and virtual remarks from University President Eisgruber, the IMAP team took the stage with Peter Schiffer (Dean for Research; VP for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory) moderating. Panelists included Dave McComas, our mission PI; Jamie Rankin, SWAPI instrument lead; Jamey Szalay, CAVA tool lead; and Joe Westlake, Director of 's Science Mission Directorate Heliophysics Division, all happy to talk about IMAP's journey, the importance of space science, and what's coming in 2026 & beyond. ✨
Students whose research centers on IMAP & astrophysics presented their work in the lobby, with 3D-printed and Lego models of IMAP on hand for interactive viewing. Great work by all!
In addition to discussing launch excitement and the power of teamwork, we premiered clips from the IMAP documentary! Stay tuned for more on that front soon 🎥
Thank you to everyone whose hard work made this evening possible - we appreciate you! 🙌🏻
to Launch Week at and all our fabulous presentations! The IMAP team brought sun science and the heliosphere to their families, friends, students, & the general public with five days of outreach and science communication. 📣
Sci-comm is an essential part of NASA's mission to bring us together through the wonder of the cosmos. Many of us can remember the first time we learned about other planets, the Milky Way, and just how special life on spaceship Earth is - we're all on this incredible planet together. We hope you're staying curious on this February Friday and that you keep looking up 🌎🪐💫
02/17/2026
We've intercepted a transmission straight from Starfleet command! Kate Mulgrew, known best for her role as Star Trek: Voyager's Captain Janeway, was briefed on the success of the IMAP mission and extends her warm congratulations on this incredible milestone. 👏🏻👏🏻
Kate returned to Star Trek as Admiral & Hologram Janeway in the recent Star Trek: Prodigy, where her primary mission includes teaching a diverse group of kids about space science, the principles of Starfleet, and how to be a team player. If you want to teach your cadets about IMAP's mission to study solar wind and mapping the heliosphere, visit our IMAP Outreach Partner site or even plan your own event using our public resources, available at imap.connectedcommunity.org/home 🚀
Thank you to Kate for her continued support of space science and STEAM education! 🖖🏻🧡💫
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Website
Address
Princeton Space Physics Lab
Princeton, NJ
