ESA’s Hera spacecraft launches to help advance planetary defense

[Karah Rucker]

A NEW MISSION TO PROTECT EARTH FROM ASTEROIDS IS UNDERWAY!

A SPACECRAFT BLASTED OFF ON MONDAY TO REVISIT THE SCENE OF A COSMIC CRASH.

THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY’S HERA’S MISSION IS A FOLLOW-UP TO NASA’S ‘DART’ MISSION IN 20-22.

DURING THE DART MISSION – AN ASTEROID WAS SUCCESSFULLY KNOCKED OFF ITS ORBIT BY FORCING A SATELLITE TO CRASH INTO IT.

THIS E-S-A MISSION IS PART TWO.

 IT’S ALL IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE OUR PLANETARY DEFENSE STRATEGY.

SCIENTISTS ARE EAGER TO SEE HOW EFFECTIVE THE DART STRIKE WAS IN CASE WE EVER NEEDED TO DEFLECT A REAL ASTEROID THREAT. 

HERA IS NOW ON A TWO-YEAR JOURNEY TO THE ASTEROID TO STUDY THE WRECKAGE.

ESA IS CALLING HERA A FOUR-HUNDRED-MILLION-DOLLAR “CRASH SCENE INVESTIGATION.”

WHEN HERA ARRIVES IN 20-26, IT WILL CLOSELY SURVEY THE SITE FOR SIX MONTHS AND RELEASE SMALLER SATELLITES FOR EVEN CLOSER INSPECTIONS.

THIS MISSION COULD BE CRITICAL FOR FUTURE PLANETARY DEFENSE.

WE’LL BE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON HERA’S JOURNEY OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS!

FOR SAN, I’M KARAH RUCKER.