ESA's Hera Mission Launches for 2026 Asteroid Arrival

The European Space Agency (ESA) has successfully launched the Hera mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, aimed at examining the aftermath of NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) which collided with the asteroid Dimorphos in 2022. This mission, part of a broader planetary defense initiative, seeks to analyze the impact's effects, such as changes in Dimorphos's orbit and the physical alterations to its surface. Hera will arrive at the binary asteroid system consisting of Dimorphos and its larger companion, Didymos, by late 2026, bringing along two CubeSats to perform detailed surveys. The mission's findings will be crucial for future asteroid deflection strategies, potentially protecting Earth from hazardous space objects. This collaborative effort between ESA and NASA underscores the international focus on planetary defense as a significant scientific and security concern.