Hera will investigate the aftermath of the DART asteroid impact - Earth.com

Hera will investigate the aftermath of the DART asteroid impact

09-27-2022

Today’s Video of the Day from the European Space Agency describes Hera’s mission to conduct a detailed post-impact survey of the asteroid that was impacted by NASA’s DART spacecraft. 

On Monday, September 26, 2022, NASA controllers deliberately crashed a $330 million robot spacecraft into an asteroid called Dimorphos. The ultimate goal is to learn how to deflect asteroids that may collide with our planet in the future. In 2024, ESA will launch its Hera spacecraft to investigate the aftermath of the Dimorphos impact. 

“With the Hera mission, ESA is assuming even greater responsibility for protecting our planet and ensuring that Europe plays a leading role in the common effort to tackle asteroid risks,” says the agency. 

“In this video, Ian Carnelli, Hera mission manager, and members of the Hera team, reflect on the DART impact and introduce Hera and its Milani and Juventas CubeSats.”

Video Credit: ESA 

By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

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