A British-built space instrument has officially launched aboard NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission
Developed with £4.2 million funding from the UK Space Agency, the magnetometer will help scientists better understand the invisible magnetic bubble that shields Earth and the solar system from harmful cosmic radiation.
Mission to map the solar system’s shield
IMAP lifted off successfully from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on 24 September 2025 at 12:30 pm BST. The spacecraft is now on a journey that will take three to four months before reaching its final orbit, approximately one million miles from Earth. Once in position, IMAP will observe the heliosphere, which is the magnetic bubble created by the Sun’s solar wind that acts as a protective shield around our Solar System.
The mission’s primary goal is to investigate the interaction between solar wind and energetic particles within the heliosphere. This research will improve our understanding of the forces that influence space weather.
Magnetometer technology
At the heart of the UK’s contribution to the IMAP mission is the MAG instrument, a highly sensitive magnetometer developed by Imperial College London. MAG is designed to measure the strength and direction of magnetic fields in space, providing real-time data that will be publicly available just minutes after being collected.
This instrument builds on previous UK work in space science, including technology flown on the Solar Orbiter mission launched in 2020. The success of MAG highlights the UK’s global reputation for excellence in scientific instrumentation and engineering.
Protecting technology and supporting exploration
Understanding space weather will have real-world implications. Solar storms can have profound effects on Earth’s technology-dependent infrastructure, including disruptions to communication systems, aviation, and electricity grids. IMAP’s real-time data will help scientists provide earlier warnings of space weather events, giving governments and industry more time to safeguard critical systems.
This research will support the safety of astronauts on future missions to the Moon and Mars. Space radiation is one of the most significant risks to human spaceflight, and a clearer picture of how energetic particles travel through the heliosphere will be vital in designing protective measures for long-duration missions.
UK and US space collaboration
IMAP is a NASA-led mission that includes contributions from 25 institutions across six countries.
This collaboration was further strengthened by the recent Transatlantic Tech Prosperity Deal, which includes new efforts to develop AI tools for future space missions jointly.
By working closely with NASA and other international partners, the UK continues to demonstrate its scientific and technological capabilities on the global stage, contributing to cutting-edge research that benefits not only the scientific community but also society as a whole.
The launch of the IMAP mission is a significant step forward in our understanding of the environment beyond Earth. With advanced instruments like MAG on board, scientists are better equipped to explore how our Solar System interacts with the wider galaxy.
