Sunrise SpaceX launch from Kennedy Space Center sends NASA IMAP mission off to L1
As the sun rose over Florida's Space Coast Wednesday, three science spacecraft aimed at observing the sun's influence on space weather took off on a journey that will take them one million miles from Earth.
NASA's IMAP mission -- alongside NASA's Carruthers Geocorona Observatory and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's SWFO-L1-- launched atop a single SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 24 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A.
The sun has just risen 17 minutes prior, making for a beautiful morning launch.
The Falcon 9 launching this mission saw its second flight — its only other mission being the KF-01 mission, which was the first launch of Amazon Kuiper internet satellites by SpaceX. The rocket's booster landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
NASA IMAP mission launches on SpaceX rocket from Florida
NASA's IMAP -- or Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe -- will travel 108 days to the Earth-Sun Lagrange Point 1 (L1) . That's an area one million miles from Earth where the spacecraft can orbit the Sun alongside the Earth.
From that position, IMAP will collect its data using 10 sophisticated onboard instruments, which are the result of an international collaboration involving 25 partners. The spacecraft itself is divided into six bays, which hold 12 instrument sensors. This doesn't include the one large sensor on the top of the spacecraft.
"It has a lot more capability than previous spacecraft in terms of being able to look at the edge of the heliosphere," said Michele Cash, IMAP deputy program scientist.
The heliosphere "is that protective bubble carved out by the solar wind, which is coming out from the sun at a million miles per hour," Cash said. The heliosphere is out at the boundary of our solar system.
"It acts as a shield. You can think about the heliosphere like when you're blowing up a balloon. So the sun is blowing up this bubble -- the heliosphere -- and then outside of that, in interstellar space, there's intense radiation that we're protected from by the heliosphere," said Cash.
Cash told FLORIDA TODAY that some of the radiation still makes it in. That's why it's important to take measurements before astronauts travel on long durations missions to the moon and eventually Mars.
IMAP will also be looking at how those particles coming off the sun impact Earth. "IMAP will be able to measure what's coming off the sun -- the energetic particles, radiation, and magnetic fields in real time. And the reason why this is so important is that we can use that information to forecast space weather," said Cash.
From development through its two-year science operations, IMAP came at a cost of $781.8 million, according to NASA.
The Carruthers Geocorona Observatory
The Carruthers Geocorona Observatory will be looking at Earth's exosphere – or outermost layer of the atmosphere. The mission is named for Dr. George Carruthers, who conducted a study on the Apollo 16 mission. Through Carruthers' ultraviolet camera experiment, it was discovered that Earth's exosphere extends much further than originally believed.
Carruthers payload lead Jason McPhate told FLORIDA TODAY that while Carruthers is looking back at Earth, a student collaboration instrument, known as COSMO, will look at the sun. Its main purpose will be to monitor the flux of ultraviolet light coming from the sun.
It will be a two-year science mission, costing NASA $97 million from development through operation. During its mission period, Carruthers will continuously monitor changes in the exosphere and attempt to solve the long-held mystery of just how far Earth's most outer layer extends.
When is the next launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA, rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral
NOAA's Space Weather Follow On – Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration SWFO-L1 will be observing space weather, or charged particles from the Sun. This space weather can have an impact on satellites in orbit, such as GPS, astronauts in space, aircraft radio communication, and even power systems on Earth.
Two other solar observatories are currently stationed in space; however, both are three decades old. This includes the NASA/European Space Agency SOHO –Solar and Heliospheric Observatory mission, and the NASA Advanced Composition explorer, also known as ACE.
The ACE currently gives around 20 to 40 minutes of warning ahead of solar storms.
"That mission acts like a buoy for us, a million miles upstream measuring what is about to hit the Earth," said Brent Gordon, deputy director at NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
Gordon said this will "be the first dedicated space weather mission out at the L1 Lagrange point."
And it's not only for observations out in space, but also here on Earth. As soon as the data reaches Earth, the data will immediately be in the hands of those who need it.
Gordon told FLORIDA TODAY that SWFO-L1 will have a maximum time of 30 minutes for the data to reach involved parties, with images every 15 to 20 minutes.
He explained that for most people, they think of space weather as a chance to see the aurora. However, it can pose a threat to the North American power grid, operators of satellites in low Earth orbit, airlines, and farming planting systems which rely on precise GPS.
During the prelaunch news briefing it was reported that the mission came to a cost of $692 million. This includes the development through the operation.
SWFO-L1 will reach its destination and begin operation by April 2026.
Next SpaceX launch from Florida
The next SpaceX launch from Florida is set for no earlier than Thursday, Sept. 25. The launch day will be a doubleheader beginning with a SpaceX Starlink launch no earlier than 4:36 a.m. from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is set to follow no earlier than 8:09 a.m. from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission will be the launch of the next batch of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet satellites.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at [email protected] or on X: @brookeofstars .
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX launches NASA's IMAP mission and more into Florida sunrise
