On October 7 at 9:52 p.m., a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera spacecraft to study an asteroid impact. after being hit by a NASA spacecraft
Hera’s mission is to study the asteroid system Didymos and its moon Dimorphos, which was hit by NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft on September 26, 2022, at a speed of 21,900 kilometers per second.
The DART disaster was the first time humanity had a proactive plan to protect the Earth from asteroids. and shortening the orbital period of Dimorphos by 33 minutes However, astronomers still need more information about the asteroid system. To provide a more detailed and accurate understanding of the after-effects of an accident than before.
The Hera spacecraft is expected to fly past Mars in March 2025. It will use Mars’ gravity to propel it to the Didymos asteroid system in December 2026 and begin its mission to study the properties of the star system, such as ‘ measure its mass, examine Examine internal parts, make detailed maps Includes examination of the characteristics of the new orbit to see how much it deviates from the original.
The Hera mission will also include two CubeSats, Juventas and Milani, for a detailed study ESA said it plans to end the Hera mission with a soft landing above the Didymos poles, while the Juventas and Milani satellites come landed on the moon Dimorphos.
Asteroid Didymos is a near-Earth asteroid with a diameter of 780 meters and was first discovered in 1996 with its 151 meter moon Dimorphos The DART impact occurred at a distance of approximately 11,000,000 kilometers from Earth. It is an experiment from a safe distance. ineffective, causing the asteroid to be in danger of coming close to Earth and endangering life.
picture: ESA-Office of Science
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