Authors: Westlake, J.H. (JHU/APL), D.J. McComas (Princeton University), E. Christian (GSFC), N. Schwadron (UNH), and the IMAP Team
The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) is a revolutionary mission that simultaneously investigates two of the most important overarching issues in Heliophysics today: the acceleration of energetic particles and interaction of the solar wind with the local interstellar medium. While seemingly disparate, these are intimately coupled because particle acceleration processes in the inner heliosphere play critical roles in the outer heliospheric interaction.
Selected by NASA in 2018, IMAP is planned to launch in 2025. The IMAP observatory is a sun-pointed spinner in orbit about the Sun-Earth L1 point containing ten scientific instruments. This suite of instruments provide a comprehensive set of observations to simultaneously dissect the particle injection and acceleration processes at 1 AU and also remotely probe the global heliospheric interaction and its response to particle populations generated by these processes.
IMAP provides detailed observations of solar wind electrons and ions; suprathermal, pickup, and energetic ions; and the interplanetary magnetic field. IMAP observes the outer heliospheric interaction through advanced global observations of the remote plasma and energetic ions over a broad energy range via energetic neutral atom imaging, and precise observations of interstellar neutral atoms penetrating the heliosphere. IMAP Observations of interstellar dust and the ultraviolet glow of interstellar neutrals further deepen the physical understanding of the interstellar interaction.
IMAP continuously broadcasts vital real-time space weather observations with the I-ALiRT (IMAP Active Link for Real-Time) capability. Finally, IMAP engages the broader Heliophysics community through a variety of innovative opportunities. Here, we detail the progress and capabilities of the IMAP Mission in the lead up to launch in early 2025. The IMAP team is currently deep into building the flight instrumentation and observatory in preparation for full integration later in 2023 and into 2024.