Can we deflect a killer asteroid? ESA is testing the technology to find out.
The European Space Agency is preparing for potential asteroid impacts by launching the Hera mission. This spacecraft will survey the aftermath of NASA's DART mission to turn planetary defense into a repeatable technique. Before launch, the probe undergoes rigorous testing to survive the harsh conditions of space.
Statistically, a large asteroid impact on Earth is inevitable, whether it happens soon or in the distant future. To prepare, the Hera mission will conduct a detailed post-impact survey of Dimorphos, a 160-metre asteroid previously struck and deflected by NASA's DART spacecraft. By studying this site, ESA aims to transform this experiment into a reliable planetary defense strategy.
Before its October 2024 launch, the Hera spacecraft and its two CubeSats are undergoing extreme environmental testing at the ESTEC centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. Engineers simulate the intense noise and force of a rocket launch, as well as the vacuum and temperature fluctuations of deep space, to ensure the mission can function independently once it leaves Earth.
