NASA's Solar Mission Pushed Back: IMAP and Rideshares Affected

NASA just hit the pause button on its Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission. The spacecraft, initially set for a spring 2025 launch, will now lift off no earlier than September. Why the delay? NASA needs more time to prep the flight systems. This isn't the first time IMAP's launch has been pushed back – it was once planned for 2024. IMAP's job? It'll hang out at the Earth-sun L-1 Lagrange point, about 1. 5 million kilometers sunward, and study the heliosphere. That's the sun's magnetic bubble protecting our solar system from space particles. And it'll keep an eye on the solar wind too. This delay isn't just about IMAP. Two other missions, Carruthers Geocorona Observatory and Space Weather Follow-On (SWFO) L-1, are along for the ride. They'll study Earth's exosphere and monitor solar weather, respectively. These rideshares let NASA pack more science into each launch. Originally, there were four missions, but Solar Cruiser and Lunar Trailblazer had to drop out due to technical issues and shifts in launch plans. NASA's heliophysics director, Joe Westlake, says they're using these rideshares to maximize science on each launch.