Europe's Hera Voyage: Aiming for Planetary Defense

The European Space Agency's Hera asteroid probe embarked on a mission to revisit the Dimorphos asteroid, previously impacted by NASA's DART spacecraft. Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Hera's target is to survey the asteroid to advance planetary defense strategies against potential asteroid threats to Earth.

Europe's Hera asteroid probe embarked on a two-year space mission from Florida, poised to examine the Dimorphos asteroid previously impacted by NASA's DART spacecraft in 2022. This mission, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, marks a significant stride in developing defense strategies against potential asteroid threats to Earth.

The probe departed at 10:53 a.m. local time, following a live webcast, with the European Space Agency choosing SpaceX to address Europe's current space access limitations. Dimorphos, a moonlet of the near-Earth asteroid Didymos, will be the focus of this mission.

Scientists have noted alterations in both the trajectory and shape of Dimorphos following the high-speed DART collision. Hera, built by Germany's OHB SE, will further investigate these changes, potentially refining a repeatable approach to planetary defense based on the DART test's findings.

(With inputs from agencies.)