A British-made instrument has launched into space aboard NASA’s
Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), marking a major
milestone for UK space science. A new space weather station The spacecraft
lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:30pm BST on
24 September. It will travel for several months before settling into orbit
[…]
The post UK-Built Space Tech Blasts Off on NASA’s IMAP Mission appeared
first on Orbital Today.
https://orbitaltoday.com/2025/09/24/uk-built-space-tech-blasts-off-on-nasas-imap-mission/View article
View summary
#^UK-Built Space Tech Blasts Off on NASA’s IMAP MissionA British-made instrument has
launched into space aboard NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), marking a major milestone for UK space science.
A new space weather station
The spacecraft lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:30pm BST on 24 September. It will travel for several months before settling into orbit about a million miles from Earth. From there, IMAP will act like a space-based weather station, tracking the constant flow of charged particles streaming from the Sun.
By mapping the heliosphere, the protective bubble surrounding our
Solar System, IMAP will help scientists understand how solar wind and cosmic rays interact with this invisible shield.
The UK’s role: Imperial’s magnetic field detector
At the heart of the UK’s contribution is MAG, a magnetometer designed and built at Imperial College London with £4.2 million in funding from the UK Space Agency. MAG will measure the strength and direction of magnetic fields in space, providing vital information on how solar storms and cosmic particles behave.
Professor Timothy Horbury, Science Lead of the IMAP magnetometer at Imperial, said: “We were delighted to contribute to the IMAP mission, and with UK Space Agency support, we designed, built, and delivered our instrument in just three years, a testament to the expertise of our outstanding engineering team at Imperial.
Our magnetic field instrument will help us understand how particles are accelerated at shock waves and travel through the solar system.
I’m especially excited that our data will be made public within minutes of being measured over a million miles away, supporting real-time space weather forecasts. It’s a great example of how scientific measurements can positively impact society.”
Why space weather matters
Solar storms can disrupt satellites, damage power grids, and interfere with GPS systems. For astronauts, radiation from the Sun and beyond poses a serious health risk. IMAP’s real-time monitoring will give scientists earlier warnings of such hazards, allowing operators to safeguard vital services on Earth and better protect future human explorers on the Moon and Mars.
UK government support
Science and Technology Minister Liz Lloyd highlighted the importance of Britain’s role in the mission, saying:
“The UK is proud to play a leading role in this international mission. Our £4.2 million investment in the magnetometer instrument will help protect the technologies we all depend on – from GPS to power grids – while paving the way for safer human exploration of space.
The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe mission stands as a great example of how British universities’ expertise can help solve global challenges and secure our technological future.”
Strengthening UK-US space ties
IMAP is led by NASA with contributions from 25 institutions across six countries. The UK’s role builds on earlier work for the European Solar Orbiter mission, also featuring Imperial-built instruments.
The mission also comes as the
UK and US strengthen their space collaboration. This week, the UK Space Agency and NASA agreed to co-develop AI models under the Transatlantic Tech Prosperity Deal, designed to support the next wave of exploration missions.
Beyond the Solar System
Alongside studying solar wind, IMAP will also collect data on high-energy particles, interstellar dust, and atoms arriving from beyond our Solar System. These observations will deepen understanding of how our planetary neighbourhood interacts with the wider galaxy.
For scientists, the mission promises new insights into cosmic processes. For society, it means stronger defences against solar storms and better preparation for humanity’s next great journeys into space.
The post
UK-Built Space Tech Blasts Off on NASA’s IMAP Mission appeared first on
Orbital Today.
