The European Space Agency (ESA) is making strides in planetary defense with its upcoming Hera mission. Scheduled for launch on October 7, 2022, Hera will travel aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Its primary goal is to study the effects of NASA's Dart probe impact on the asteroid Dimorphos, an experiment that marks a crucial step in developing strategies to deflect potentially hazardous asteroids.
The mission, conceived in Bremen, Germany, will see Hera reach the double asteroid system Didymos and Dimorphos by 2026. By then, it will have flown past Mars, gathering vital data to enhance our understanding of asteroid deflection. Through this mission, scientists hope to learn how the Dart impact altered Dimorphos, including changes in its orbit and structure.
Equipped with advanced instruments, Hera includes cameras from Jena-Optronik and CubeSats like Juventas, which will land on Dimorphos to conduct detailed analyses of its internal structure and gravity. This mission is not just about understanding Dimorphos but also about preparing for future threats, as the asteroid pair itself poses no danger to Earth.
Currently, scientists estimate about 36,000 near-Earth objects (NEOs) are known, with a small percentage potentially impacting Earth. Missions like Hera and Dart represent the first active steps towards safeguarding our planet from such threats. Looking ahead, ESA also plans to investigate the asteroid Apophis in 2028, as it will pass close to Earth the following year. These initiatives highlight the importance of planetary defense and the ongoing efforts to protect Earth from cosmic hazards.
