Before a spacecraft encounters its target star, it must pass through our solar system and cross the vast extent of interstellar space. At a few hundred au from Sun, the spacecraft will cross the edge of the heliosphere, where the interstellar medium (ISM) begins to dominate the solar wind emitted by the Sun. The ISM is not empty, and the spacecraft will encounter gas and dust particles at high speeds. We examine the impact of such particles on the spacecraft, quantify the damage they would make, and look at mitigating actions. We also see how the concept of the Bussard ramjet could, in principle, exploit the ISM particles as a source of fuel and propellant. When arriving at its target star, the spacecraft can study its heliosphere, and look for analogues to the minor bodies in our own solar system.