ESA Launches Car-Sized Probe To Investigate Cosmic Crash Scene In Space

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera spacecraft is headed toward the same asteroid NASA’s DART mission successfully impacted in 2022. The car-sized probe is part of a mission to better understand the ‘kinetic impact’ technique of asteroid deflection.

Hollywood has brought forth a few ideas of how humanity might save itself from a doomsday asteroid. Scientists, on the other hand, have their own thoughts about how to spare Earth from a catastrophic impact. Whether it be detonating nuclear bombs in the vicinity of an asteroid, or flying a spacecraft directly into a massive space rock hurtling toward Earth, space agencies such as NASA and ESA are determined to find a solution. Hence Hera, whose primary mission is to help bolster Earth’s defense against a doomsday asteroid by carrying out the first detailed survey of asteroid Dimorphos since it was impacted by the DART mission.

“Planetary defense is an inherently international endeavor, and I am really happy to see ESA’s Hera spacecraft at the forefront of Europe’s efforts to help protect Earth. Hera is a bold step in scaling up ESA’s engagement in planetary defense,” remarked ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher.

Along with studying Dimorphos, part of a binary - or double body - asteroid, in greater detail, Hera will also perform deep-space technology experiments that will include the deployment of twin shoebox-sized ‘CubeSats’ to fly closer to the asteroid, and maneuvering in ultra-low gravity to collect additional scientific data. The ESA also says the main spacecraft will also attempt ‘self-driving’ navigation around the asteroids based on visual tracking.

“Hera is finally on its way to Didymos; today we are writing a new page of space history,” remarked Hera mission manager Ian Carnelli. “ This deep space mission took shape from contract signing to launch in only four years, a testimony to the hard work and dedication of the Hera team across ESA, European industry, science, and the Japanese space agency JAXA.”

Hera’s recent launch will be followed a scheduled maneuver next month, and then a swing-by of Mars in March 2025, which will help propel the spacecraft for its eventual rendezvous with Didymos and Dimorphos. Hera is expected to arrive at the binary asteroid in the autumn of 2026.

According to the ESA, observations from Earth show DART succeeded in shrinking the orbit period of Dimorphos around Didymos by 33 minutes, nearly 5% of its original value, while also casting a plume of debris thousands of kilometers in space. However, much is still unknown. Hopefully, Hera will be able to answer many more questions concerning the DART mission’s ultimate success, as well as give scientists more information about how to protect Earth in the future against an actual doomsday asteroid.