NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) successfully launched three pivotal missions on September 24, 2025, aimed at deepening our understanding of the Sun and its impact on the solar system. The launch took place at 7:30 a.m. EDT from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, utilizing a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The missions include NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, and NOAA’s Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) spacecraft. These missions are essential in enhancing space weather readiness to safeguard satellites, interplanetary missions, and space-bound astronauts.
Sean Duffy, acting NASA Administrator, highlighted the importance of these missions in protecting humanity from space weather hazards as they prepare for future Moon and Mars expeditions. Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, described the missions as an “interplanetary survival guide” to ensure the safe and sustained human presence on other worlds.
Each mission is dedicated to exploring different aspects of space weather and the solar wind. The IMAP mission will map the heliosphere’s boundaries, offering insights into how our solar system remains habitable by guarding against galactic cosmic rays. David McComas, the mission’s principal investigator, emphasized IMAP’s role in understanding the impact of the space environment on technology and human life.
The Carruthers Geocorona Observatory is tasked with studying Earth’s outer atmospheric layer, the exosphere. This mission, led by Lara Waldrop from the University of Illinois, will provide critical data on how the exosphere responds to solar storms and seasonal changes, furthering predictions of solar activity impacts on Earth.
NOAA’s SWFO-L1, the first full-time operational space weather observatory, will continuously monitor solar activity, providing real-time data to deliver more accurate space weather forecasts. Richard Ullman, NOAA’s deputy director of the Office of Space Weather Observations, underscored the observatory’s role in protecting societal infrastructure and national security.
Following their successful launch, all spacecraft have deployed and confirmed signal contact with Earth. Over the coming months, they will travel to Lagrange point 1, a location approximately one million miles from Earth, to commence their missions by early next year after necessary checkouts and calibrations.
In collaboration with partners from various institutions, David McComas leads the IMAP mission, and the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory mission is managed by Lara Waldrop. The SWFO-L1 mission is a joint effort between NOAA and NASA, utilizing private sector partnerships.
These missions mark a significant advancement in space exploration and preparedness, contributing invaluable knowledge and technology to mitigate the impacts of space weather on Earth’s modern technology-dependent society.