Europe launches Hera asteroid probe on SpaceX rocket

Europe’s Hera asteroid probe launched from Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Monday, beginning a two-year journey to revisit the asteroid Dimorphos. This mission follows NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) in 2022, where a spacecraft intentionally collided with Dimorphos to alter its course as a proof-of-concept for planetary defense. Hera aims to conduct a detailed post-impact survey to assess the collision’s effects on the asteroid’s path and shape, thereby advancing strategies to deflect potentially hazardous asteroids away from Earth. The European Space Agency (ESA) selected SpaceX for the launch to address gaps in Europe’s space access capabilities. With over half a million asteroids in the solar system—and more than 1,000 near-Earth objects on ESA’s risk list—the mission underscores the importance of monitoring and potentially mitigating asteroid threats.

Credit : CGTN