Can we deflect a killer asteroid? ESA’s Hera mission investigates the aftermath of impact.

Following NASA's 2022 DART mission, scientists know we can shove an asteroid off course. Now, the European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft is heading to the Didymos system to uncover the mechanics of kinetic impact. This video details the mission's journey, including a gravity-assist maneuver near Mars.

The Hera mission serves as an asteroid detective, tasked with gathering the missing data needed to fully understand how kinetic impactors alter asteroid orbits. While astronomers have observed shifts from Earth, Hera will provide a close-up analysis of the Didymos double asteroid system, which represents the thousands of asteroids that pose a potential impact risk to our planet.

Hera is accompanied by two specialized CubeSats: Milani, designed to decode the asteroid's composition, and Juventas, which acts as a radar visionary. The mission's journey involves a strategic flyby of Mars to gain momentum, marking a critical step in refining our planetary defense capabilities.

Source: The cosmic roadtrip | The Incredible Adventures of the Hera mission