Can we master the art of redirecting asteroids to protect Earth?
Watch the moment ESA’s Hera mission launched from Florida to investigate the aftermath of humanity's first successful attempt to alter an asteroid's orbit.
On 7 October, the Hera mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. As ESA’s inaugural planetary defence mission, Hera is traveling to study the binary asteroid system consisting of 65803 Didymos and its smaller companion, Dimorphos.
The mission focuses on Dimorphos, whose orbit was previously changed by NASA’s DART kinetic-impact experiment. By conducting a detailed survey of this system, Hera aims to refine the kinetic impact technique, transforming it into a reliable method for defending Earth against potential asteroid collisions.
