Planetary defense: follow live the departure of the Hera mission towards a deviated asteroid

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A European space mission, Hera, is due to leave at the beginning of October 2024 towards a double asteroid. The objective: to control and refine the measurements concerning another mission which occurred 2 years earlier: DART. It is part of an emerging policy of “planetary defense”, for the day when an asteroid proves dangerous.

It was 2 years ago. The American space agency (Nasa) sent the DART probe to crash into a small asteroid to determine if humanity was capable of deviating its trajectory a little. Now, another mission, European this time, is heading to said asteroid to closely study the effects of the impact.

The launch in summary

  • What ? An asteroid study mission, for planetary defense purposes;
  • When ? Monday October 7, 2024, at 4:52 p.m. (Paris time);
  • Or ? At the Cape Canaveral launch base, Florida (United States);
  • What will we see? The departure of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

What is Hera’s mission?

In 2022, NASA voluntarily rushed the DART probe against a small asteroid (Dimorphos) rotating around a more massive neighbor (Didymos). It was then a matter of throwing it at full speed against Dimorphos, in order to disrupt its rotation. The operation worked, and in unexpected proportions.

Two years later, in October 2024, the European Space Agency (ESA) enters the dance with the Hera mission. The main objective here is not to reproduce a collision, but to get closer to the two asteroids to more precisely confirm the results of the DART mission – and also check the appearance and depth of the crater.

This is what Patrick Michel, research director at CNRS, but also scientific manager of the Hera mission, has just recalled in the columns of The Conversation. Among the questions the European mission hopes to answer are:

  • Are there large areas of voids inside Dimorphos?
  • What are the sizes of the rock blocks that constitute it?
  • Is it a compact rock covered with surface rocks?
  • Did the DART impact produce a crater?
  • Did he completely distort the little “moon”?

Measuring the effectiveness of the deflection requires knowing the mass of Dimorphos, and understanding the impact response requires knowing more about the physical properties of Dimorphos, and in particular its internal properties. », notes the astrophysicist. But we will have to wait, because the probe will not arrive in the area before the end of 2026.

The DART and Hera missions are part of work around the establishment of a “planetary defense”. The objective is to determine the best solutions that could be adopted if a space body ever threatens Earth. If no imminent threat exists, it’s still best to be prepared.

Orbit of Dimorphos around Didymos, extract from an animation. // Source: YouTube Nasa screenshot
Orbit of Dimorphos around Didymos, extract from an animation. // Source: YouTube Nasa screenshot

Hera mission launch date

The launch is scheduled for Monday, October 7 at 4:52 p.m. (Paris time). There is a fallback window, if necessary, on October 8, at 4:46 p.m. (Paris time).

Follow the launch live

The launch will be broadcast online on the ESA TV channel and by SpaceX via the social network X.


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