On October 8, 2024, the European Space Agency's asteroid probe, Hera, was launched from Florida aboard a SpaceX rocket. This mission marks the beginning of a two-year journey to revisit the asteroid Dimorphos, which was previously altered in its trajectory by NASA's DART spacecraft in 2022. The upcoming encounter with Dimorphos is a critical step in assessing the potential for diverting hazardous asteroids that could threaten Earth.
The implications of this mission are significant for global planetary defense strategies, as it aims to enhance our understanding of asteroid deflection techniques. The success of the Hera mission could pave the way for future efforts to protect the planet from potential asteroid impacts.
Source: nova.bg