A rocket has been launched into space on a crucial mission to investigate the aftermath of a spacecraft intentionally crashing into a small asteroid. The spacecraft named Hera is part of a planetary defence mission led by the European Space Agency (ESA) and aims to explore the Dimorphos asteroid.
This mission follows the groundbreaking test conducted in September 2022, where NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft successfully collided with Dimorphos in an effort to deflect an asteroid. The primary objective is to assess whether this collision method can be effective in redirecting objects that may pose a potential threat to Earth.
Hera’s mission includes conducting a detailed post-impact survey of Dimorphos to analyse the impact crater and any alterations to the asteroid’s shape caused by the collision. The spacecraft was cheered on as it lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 3.52 pm.
The two-year cruise phase of the Hera mission will involve significant manoeuvres, including a Mars flyby in March 2025 to capture a rare view of Mars’s moon Deimos, and an eventual arrival at the Didymos binary asteroid system in October 2026. Dimorphos orbits Didymos as part of this binary asteroid system.
Mike Willis, the space environment programme leader at the UK Space Agency, emphasised the importance of missions like Hera in safeguarding Earth against potential space hazards. While the likelihood of a major asteroid impact in the next 200 years is low, the data collected from Hera will contribute to enhancing our understanding of space risks and aid in developing future strategies for planetary protection.
The findings from Hera will complement the ESA’s Ramses mission scheduled for 2029, which will study the asteroid 99942 Apophis during its close flyby of Earth. By studying how Earth’s gravity affects the physical characteristics of the asteroid, researchers aim to improve our ability to defend against similar objects on a potential collision course in the future.
Currently, there are approximately 27,000 asteroids in near-Earth orbit, with those larger than 140 metres and coming within 4.7 million miles classified as potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs). The DART mission marks a significant milestone as the first demonstration of asteroid deflection technology.
As space exploration continues to advance, missions like Hera play a critical role in expanding our knowledge of space hazards and developing strategies to protect our planet from potential threats.