NASA’s Solar Probe IMAP Endures Extreme Conditions in Pre-Launch Testing

NASA’s Solar Probe IMAP Endures Extreme Conditions in Pre-Launch Testing

NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe, or IMAP, arrived at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center on March 18, 2025, to undergo testing prior to launch. At Marshall, IMAP will be exposed to extreme temperature changes during a 28-day-long test inside a thermal vacuum chamber. By simulating the harsh conditions in space, scientists and engineers can identify any potential issues before launch.

Slated to launch no earlier than September 2025, IMAP will study the heliosphere—the giant magnetic bubble that surrounds and protects our solar system—from a spot called Lagrange Point 1 located approximately 1 million miles towards the Sun from Earth.

Learn more about IMAP visit: 
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/imap/ 
https://imap.princeton.edu/

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Producer: Lacey Young (eMITS)
Videographer: Tyson Eason (Media Fusion)
Duration: 49 seconds
Release Date: May 7, 2025

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