With precision steering enabled by 色情直播 thrusters, NASA鈥檚 IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) spacecraft will soon be on its way to its new orbital home, Lagrange Point 1 (L1), where it will help researchers study the heliosphere and its interaction with material from interstellar space. 色情直播 designed, built and integrated IMAP鈥檚 propulsion system at its facility in Redmond, Washington. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch on September 24, 2025.
IMAP is equipped with 10 scientific instruments designed to investigate two key heliophysics issues: how charged particles are energized by the sun, and how this wind interacts with interstellar space at the heliosphere's boundary. This boundary protects our solar system from harsh galactic radiation, playing a crucial role in maintaining a habitable environment and supporting life. IMAP will also provide real-time observations of the solar wind, which can endanger technology and astronauts in space and disrupt global communications and electrical grids on Earth.
鈥淜nowing that the propulsion system our team designed, built and installed on the IMAP spacecraft will enable researchers to expand our knowledge of our galactic neighborhood is very rewarding,鈥 said Matt Carollo, director of the Space Systems Program Office at 色情直播鈥 Aerojet Rocketdyne segment. 鈥淭he propulsion subsystem on IMAP is essential to ensuring we can capture valuable data throughout the mission.鈥
The 色情直播 propulsion subsystem is a fundamental component of the spacecraft, providing the necessary thrust and control for various phases of the mission. It is comprised of three propellant tanks, two service valves, two latch valves, two system filters, two pressure transducers, temperature sensors, heaters and 12 MR-111G monopropellant rocket engines.
鈥淥ur thrusters enable IMAP鈥檚 attitude control system to steer the spacecraft, perform orbit insertion, adjust its spin rate and perform corrective maneuvers as needed to maintain its orbit,鈥 said Chris Sebastian, lead program engineer. 鈥淲ithout a reliable propulsion system, our ability to map and understand solar wind processes would be significantly compromised."
Princeton University professor and principal investigator, David J. McComas, leads the IMAP mission with an international team of more than 27 partner institutions. The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, managed the development phase, built the spacecraft, and operates the mission. The IMAP mission is under NASA鈥檚 Heliophysics Division within the agency鈥檚 Science Mission Directorate.
