ESA's Hera Mission Launches to Study Asteroid Dimorphos

The mission aims to analyze the aftermath of NASA's DART impact, marking a crucial step in planetary defense research.

Hera launched successfully from Cape Canaveral on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, overcoming weather challenges and a recent FAA delay.
The spacecraft is set to reach the asteroid Didymos and its moonlet Dimorphos in 2026, using a Mars flyby for a gravity assist.
The mission will study the impact crater from NASA's DART mission, which altered Dimorphos's orbit as a test of asteroid redirection.
Two cubesats will accompany Hera, analyzing Dimorphos's composition and mass to refine future asteroid deflection strategies.
Hera's mission underscores international collaboration in planetary defense, aiming to protect Earth from potential asteroid threats.