The IMAP Observatory Overview

K. P. Hegarty; S. Kubota; M. Cully; D. J. McComas; E. R. Christian; N. A. Schwadron; M. Gkioulidou; S. Bushman; C. Collura; M. Dauberman; C. Drabenstadt; A. Driesman; A. Dubill; B. Duffy; E. Coleman; D. Eng; C. J. Ercol; A. Gerger; R. Hall; J. Hahn; M. Haque; S. Hefter; D. Jeong; D. Jones; J. Kelman; C. Krupiarz; F. Kujawa; C. Lippe; D. Matlin; C. Monaco; D. Myers; E. Rivera Sepulveda; D. Rodriguez; L. Roufberg; J. Scherrer; M. Schwinger; A. Shin; F. Siddique; E. Smith; R. Smith; M. Tapley; S. Vernon; C. Vigil; S. Weidner

doi:10.1007/s11214-026-01272-z

The IMAP Observatory Overview

K. P. Hegarty
, S. Kubota
, M. Cully
, D. J. McComas
, E. R. Christian
, N. A. Schwadron
, M. Gkioulidou
, S. Bushman
, C. Collura
, M. Dauberman
, C. Drabenstadt
, A. Driesman
, A. Dubill
, B. Duffy
, E. Coleman
, D. Eng
, C. J. Ercol
, A. Gerger
, R. Hall
, J. Hahn

M. Haque, S. Hefter, D. Jeong, D. Jones, J. Kelman, C. Krupiarz, F. Kujawa, C. Lippe, D. Matlin, C. Monaco, D. Myers, E. Rivera Sepulveda, D. Rodriguez, L. Roufberg, J. Scherrer, M. Schwinger, A. Shin, F. Siddique, E. Smith, R. Smith, M. Tapley, S. Vernon, C. Vigil, S. Weidner

Astrophysical Sciences

Princeton University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission simultaneously investigates the acceleration of particles expelled from the Sun, and how the interaction of these particles with the local interstellar medium shapes our heliospheric boundary. The IMAP observatory makes critical measurements that facilitate this ground breaking science by incorporating a spin stabilized spacecraft orbiting around the first Sun-Earth Lagrange point, L1, with a payload comprised of ten unique instruments, making comprehensive and synergistic observations of solar wind, suprathermal, energetic particles and magnetic field, energetic neutral atoms mapping the boundary of our heliosphere, as well as interstellar neutral atoms and dust. This paper provides details on the design, integration, and testing of the IMAP observatory.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	16
Journal	Space Science Reviews
Volume	222
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-026-01272-z
State	Published - Feb 2026

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.1007/s11214-026-01272-z

Cite this

Hegarty, K. P., Kubota, S., Cully, M., McComas, D. J., Christian, E. R., Schwadron, N. A., Gkioulidou, M., Bushman, S., Collura, C., Dauberman, M., Drabenstadt, C., Driesman, A., Dubill, A., Duffy, B., Coleman, E., Eng, D., Ercol, C. J., Gerger, A., Hall, R., ... Weidner, S. (2026). The IMAP Observatory Overview. Space Science Reviews, 222(1), Article 16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-026-01272-z

@article{cca87705ab4e4a5a910c8faf16c4916d,

title = "The IMAP Observatory Overview",

abstract = "NASA{\textquoteright}s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission simultaneously investigates the acceleration of particles expelled from the Sun, and how the interaction of these particles with the local interstellar medium shapes our heliospheric boundary. The IMAP observatory makes critical measurements that facilitate this ground breaking science by incorporating a spin stabilized spacecraft orbiting around the first Sun-Earth Lagrange point, L1, with a payload comprised of ten unique instruments, making comprehensive and synergistic observations of solar wind, suprathermal, energetic particles and magnetic field, energetic neutral atoms mapping the boundary of our heliosphere, as well as interstellar neutral atoms and dust. This paper provides details on the design, integration, and testing of the IMAP observatory.",

author = "Hegarty, \{K. P.\} and S. Kubota and M. Cully and McComas, \{D. J.\} and Christian, \{E. R.\} and Schwadron, \{N. A.\} and M. Gkioulidou and S. Bushman and C. Collura and M. Dauberman and C. Drabenstadt and A. Driesman and A. Dubill and B. Duffy and E. Coleman and D. Eng and Ercol, \{C. J.\} and A. Gerger and R. Hall and J. Hahn and M. Haque and S. Hefter and D. Jeong and D. Jones and J. Kelman and C. Krupiarz and F. Kujawa and C. Lippe and D. Matlin and C. Monaco and D. Myers and E. Rivera Sepulveda and D. Rodriguez and L. Roufberg and J. Scherrer and M. Schwinger and A. Shin and F. Siddique and E. Smith and R. Smith and M. Tapley and S. Vernon and C. Vigil and S. Weidner",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2026.",

year = "2026",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1007/s11214-026-01272-z",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "222",

journal = "Space Science Reviews",

issn = "0038-6308",

publisher = "Springer Netherlands",

number = "1",

}

Hegarty, KP, Kubota, S, Cully, M, McComas, DJ, Christian, ER, Schwadron, NA, Gkioulidou, M, Bushman, S, Collura, C, Dauberman, M, Drabenstadt, C, Driesman, A, Dubill, A, Duffy, B, Coleman, E, Eng, D, Ercol, CJ, Gerger, A, Hall, R, Hahn, J, Haque, M, Hefter, S, Jeong, D, Jones, D, Kelman, J, Krupiarz, C, Kujawa, F, Lippe, C, Matlin, D, Monaco, C, Myers, D, Rivera Sepulveda, E, Rodriguez, D, Roufberg, L, Scherrer, J, Schwinger, M, Shin, A, Siddique, F, Smith, E, Smith, R, Tapley, M, Vernon, S, Vigil, C & Weidner, S 2026, 'The IMAP Observatory Overview', Space Science Reviews, vol. 222, no. 1, 16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-026-01272-z

TY - JOUR

T1 - The IMAP Observatory Overview

AU - Hegarty, K. P.

AU - Kubota, S.

AU - Cully, M.

AU - McComas, D. J.

AU - Christian, E. R.

AU - Schwadron, N. A.

AU - Gkioulidou, M.

AU - Bushman, S.

AU - Collura, C.

AU - Dauberman, M.

AU - Drabenstadt, C.

AU - Driesman, A.

AU - Dubill, A.

AU - Duffy, B.

AU - Coleman, E.

AU - Eng, D.

AU - Ercol, C. J.

AU - Gerger, A.

AU - Hall, R.

AU - Hahn, J.

AU - Haque, M.

AU - Hefter, S.

AU - Jeong, D.

AU - Jones, D.

AU - Kelman, J.

AU - Krupiarz, C.

AU - Kujawa, F.

AU - Lippe, C.

AU - Matlin, D.

AU - Monaco, C.

AU - Myers, D.

AU - Rivera Sepulveda, E.

AU - Rodriguez, D.

AU - Roufberg, L.

AU - Scherrer, J.

AU - Schwinger, M.

AU - Shin, A.

AU - Siddique, F.

AU - Smith, E.

AU - Smith, R.

AU - Tapley, M.

AU - Vernon, S.

AU - Vigil, C.

AU - Weidner, S.

PY - 2026/2

Y1 - 2026/2

N2 - NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission simultaneously investigates the acceleration of particles expelled from the Sun, and how the interaction of these particles with the local interstellar medium shapes our heliospheric boundary. The IMAP observatory makes critical measurements that facilitate this ground breaking science by incorporating a spin stabilized spacecraft orbiting around the first Sun-Earth Lagrange point, L1, with a payload comprised of ten unique instruments, making comprehensive and synergistic observations of solar wind, suprathermal, energetic particles and magnetic field, energetic neutral atoms mapping the boundary of our heliosphere, as well as interstellar neutral atoms and dust. This paper provides details on the design, integration, and testing of the IMAP observatory.

AB - NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission simultaneously investigates the acceleration of particles expelled from the Sun, and how the interaction of these particles with the local interstellar medium shapes our heliospheric boundary. The IMAP observatory makes critical measurements that facilitate this ground breaking science by incorporating a spin stabilized spacecraft orbiting around the first Sun-Earth Lagrange point, L1, with a payload comprised of ten unique instruments, making comprehensive and synergistic observations of solar wind, suprathermal, energetic particles and magnetic field, energetic neutral atoms mapping the boundary of our heliosphere, as well as interstellar neutral atoms and dust. This paper provides details on the design, integration, and testing of the IMAP observatory.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105030460068

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105030460068#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1007/s11214-026-01272-z

DO - 10.1007/s11214-026-01272-z

M3 - Article

C2 - 41625983

SN - 0038-6308

VL - 222

JO - Space Science Reviews

JF - Space Science Reviews

IS - 1

M1 - 16

ER -

The IMAP Observatory Overview

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this