Humanity is returning to the first asteroid we ever intentionally moved
The European Space Agency is launching the Hera mission to investigate the aftermath of the first successful human-led asteroid deflection. By revisiting this specific target, scientists aim to uncover critical data about planetary defense that remained unknown after the initial impact.
Hera is the European Space Agency's inaugural planetary defense mission. It is targeting one of the 1.3 million asteroids identified in our Solar System, specifically the first body to have its orbit altered by human intervention. The mission aims to examine the lingering questions surrounding this deflection event.
The spacecraft is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, USA, on Monday, 7 October, at 16:52 CEST.
