December 23, 2024

Advanced Particle Imager Ready for Installation on NASA’s IMAP Spacecraft

The mission will assist us better understand the circulation of particles from the Sun called the solar wind– and how those particles interact with area within the solar system and beyond. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton University/Steve GribbenIMAP-Ultra records crucial information on neutral atoms taking a trip from the edge of our solar system, aiding in the understanding of interstellar and solar wind interactions.Another of the instruments prepared for flight aboard NASAs Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) is ready for setup on the spacecraft.IMAP-Ultra is a particle imager capable of recording energetic neutral atoms (ENAs), especially hydrogen atoms, and is the 3rd instrument to be provided for combination. When charged particles from the solar wind reach our outer heliosphere, they connect with interstellar neutral particles and transform into ENAs.