SpaceX is scheduled to launch three spacecraft on September 23, 2023, marking a significant step in solar system exploration. A Falcon 9 rocket will take off from Launch Complex-39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 07:32 EDT (11:32 GMT). This mission aims to study the sun’s influence from Earth’s atmosphere to the boundaries of interstellar space.
The payload includes NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), the Space Weather Follow-on (SWFO-L1) from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory. The trio is destined for the Earth-sun Lagrange Point-1 (L1), an orbitally stable location that lies approximately 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth, where it remains in constant sunlight.
Exploring the Solar System’s Boundaries
While each spacecraft has unique objectives, they collectively aim to enhance understanding of the Earth-sun relationship. IMAP stands out as the first mission dedicated to mapping the heliosphere’s outer boundary, a vast magnetic bubble created by solar wind. Equipped with ten advanced instruments developed by teams across the United States and 27 international partners, IMAP will measure solar wind, interstellar dust, and charged particles, in addition to providing continuous monitoring of solar weather.
According to Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, “IMAP will provide warnings beginning with Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 of incoming harmful radiation storms faster than any other spacecraft has done before.” This capability is crucial for astronaut missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO), which will face heightened radiation exposure.
The Artemis 2 flight around the moon is scheduled for 2026, followed by the Artemis 3 lunar landing mission in 2027. The advanced warning offered by IMAP will be vital for the safety of astronauts during these missions.
Real-Time Solar Monitoring and Scientific Insights
Riding alongside IMAP, NOAA’s SWFO-L1 will function as a dedicated solar alert system. It will monitor space weather and energetic particles in real time, providing data that will enhance NOAA’s forecasting models. This information is essential for protecting satellites, communication systems, and power grids from geomagnetic storms.
NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, previously known as the Global Lyman-alpha Imagers of the Dynamic Exosphere (GLIDE), will investigate Earth’s exosphere—a thin atmospheric layer extending toward the moon. Principal investigator Lara Waldrop from the University of Illinois stated, “We actually don’t know exactly how big it is. We don’t know whether it’s spherical or oval, how much it changes over time, or even the density of its constituent hydrogen atoms.”
The exosphere plays a critical role in Earth’s response to geomagnetic storms, and data collected from L1 will provide a unique opportunity to study it from an external perspective. This research could enhance understanding of how atomic hydrogen escapes Earth’s gravity and contribute to models of planetary evolution, particularly in the search for habitable exoplanets.
As the launch date approaches, the scientific community eagerly anticipates the insights that IMAP and its companions will provide, paving the way for future exploration and understanding of our solar system.