Key Takeaways
- Hera’s asteroid mission is en route to the Didymos binary asteroid system after overcoming launch obstacles.
- The spacecraft has successfully tested its ‘self-driving’ technology and performed a flyby of Mars.
- Hera is expected to arrive at Didymos in autumn 2026 to investigate the asteroid impacted by NASA’s DART spacecraft.
Mission Progress and Challenges
Hera’s mission, aimed at planetary defense, has made significant strides over the past year. Today, the spacecraft is navigating through deep space, heading towards the Didymos binary asteroid system. A year ago, however, the mission faced uncertainty. On October 7, 2024, the launch was in jeopardy due to the grounding of its rocket caused by a launch anomaly, alongside Hurricane Milton approaching Cape Canaveral. Timely departure was critical for Hera to ensure a flyby of Mars, essential for accelerating its journey towards Didymos. Fortunately, the weather cleared just half an hour prior to lift-off, allowing Hera to successfully launch as planned.
Since then, Hera has conducted successful tests of its autonomous navigation system, which it will utilize for maneuvering near the asteroids. It also performed a flyby of Mars, taking its first images of an asteroid from a distance of three million kilometers. The mission’s main instrument, the Asteroid Framing Camera, proved its capabilities during this event.
Looking ahead, Hera is on track to reach aphelion, its farthest point from the Sun. The spacecraft is projected to arrive at Didymos in autumn 2026. There, it will investigate the aftermath of the impact by NASA’s DART spacecraft, which struck the smaller asteroid in September 2022. This assessment will provide invaluable data on the effects of such impacts and enhance understanding of asteroid dynamics and planetary defense strategies.
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