• The spacecraft is a spin-stabilized satellite orbiting the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1) in a Lissajous orbit for continuous solar observation.
• It carries a scientific payload of 10 instruments categorized into three groups:

• Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) detectors: IMAP-Lo, IMAP-Hi, and IMAP-Ultra, which map energetic atoms from the heliosphere boundary and interstellar medium.
• Charged Particle Detectors: SWAPI, SWE, CoDICE, and HIT that measure solar wind ions, pickup ions, energetic particles, and electrons.
• Other instruments: MAG (magnetometer), IDEX (ion detector), and GLOWS (ultraviolet imaging).

• IMAP-Lo, mounted on a pivot platform, measures neutral interstellar atoms such as H, He, O, Ne, and D with improved collection power compared to previous missions.
• IMAP-Hi has two ENA imagers that measure high-energy atoms with enhanced spectral and spatial resolution.
• IMAP-Ultra images energetic neutral atoms, mainly hydrogen, in the heliosheath and beyond.
• The spacecraft is equipped with I-ALiRT technology to provide real-time space weather alerts with about 30 minutes warning.
• The mission features better resolution, sensitivity, and collection power than predecessors like IBEX and ACE.

• Map the global boundary of the heliosphere to understand its interaction with the local interstellar medium.
• Study the acceleration, composition, and propagation of energetic particles near the Sun and throughout the heliosphere.
• Understand how the solar wind plasma interacts with the interstellar medium, shaping the heliosphere's structure.
• Track interstellar neutral atoms entering the solar system to measure the properties of the local interstellar medium.
• Improve forecasting of solar wind disturbances and space weather events to protect Earth and space assets.
• Provide data supporting future human missions beyond low Earth orbit (e.g., Artemis and Mars).

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