The space endeavor aimed at safeguarding against asteroid threats, initiated by ESA, effectively took off.
Space defense initiatives are progressing: The "Hera" mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) to divert hazardous asteroids has blasted off into the cosmos. This was evident in real-time footage from the ESA command center in Darmstadt. The probe is set to examine the consequences of the "Dart" probe's collision with asteroid Dimorphos two years earlier. The insights could bolster Earth's protection against potential catastrophic asteroid impacts.
"Hera" mission marked as "one step towards planetary shielding" by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher. Meanwhile, Densing, the control center head, remarked: "Humanity's first chance to safeguard the planet." Nonetheless, as per Aschbacher, no lethal asteroid threat to Earth in the next three generations' lineage has been identified.
"Hera," christened after a Greek deity, took off on a Falcon-9 rocket from SpaceX's private space center at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The probe was engineered and manufactured by the aerospace company OHB in Bremen, while its instruments were contributed by different firms.
Germany leads the charge
"Hera" is scheduled to fly by Mars, and touch down on its target, Dimorphos (a minor part of a binary asteroid) following more than two years in December 2026. Remote control will be managed from the Darmstadt command center. Germany plays a significant role in the mission's 383 million euro budget as its leading financier.
"Hera" is geared with various cameras and laser, as well as radar measurement systems. Once it reaches its destination, 195 million km away, "Hera" is expected to reveal "Dimorphos's" current state and level of deflection. A similar impact could shift an asteroid heading towards Earth.
Two years ago, the "Dart" probe by NASA struck the asteroid with a direct impact. According to NASA, the asteroid's orbit around the larger asteroid Didymos altered as a consequence. Aschbacher, ESA chief, added that excessive material was ejected during the collision.
Despite this, questions remain: How deep is the crater? Or was the asteroid completely transformed? What's its weight and composition? Is it made up of debris or primarily a solid core surrounded with rock fragments? All these queries will be answered by "Hera," after its arrival.
Fancier missions in the works
Initially, "Hera" will observe the asteroid from a distance. Later, its daughter probes "Juventas" and "Milani" will attempt a daring maneuver: landing on Dimorphos. It's predicted that "Milani" will bounce off the rock several times due to its minimal gravity pull.
Aschbacher considers "Hera" a "vital mission." ESA views this as humanity's initial study of an asteroid impacted by another human-made object.
Large asteroids can cause severe damage. For instance, an impact around 66 million years ago is believed to be the primary cause of dinosaur extinction and numerous other species' demise. In 2013, a 20-meter-wide asteroid detonated over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Shockwaves injured around 1,500 people, mostly from shattered window glasses.
"Hera" was completed in just four years with the intention to serve as a blueprint for "Ramses." This spacecraft can analyze the asteroid Apophis during its Earth flyby in 2029.
The asteroid, approximately 375 meters wide, is expected to pass by Earth again on April 13, 2029, at a mere distance of 32,000 kilometers. For context, the Moon usually resides approximately 384,400 kilometers away, more than ten times farther.
The "Hera" mission, led by Germany as its primary financier, is seen as a significant step towards planetary shielding, furthering space defense initiatives. After its arrival at Dimorphos in December 2026, "Hera" will provide valuable insights into the effects of the "Dart" probe's impact on the asteroid, potentially aiding Earth's defense against potential hazardous asteroid impacts.
