What Is the Hera Mission All About?

The Hera mission, spearheaded by ESA, is set to advance planetary defense through its role in the international Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) collaboration. Following NASA's DART mission, which impacted the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos to alter its orbit, Hera will visit the Didymos binary asteroid system in late 2026. Its mission: to conduct an in-depth survey of Dimorphos and validate the kinetic impactor technique for planetary defense.

When Will Hera Launch, and What Are Its Key Objectives?

Hera is scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at the end of 2024. Upon arrival in October 2026, the spacecraft will embark on a six-month mission to study Dimorphos and the Didymos binary system. Hera's goals include analyzing the aftermath of the DART impact, demonstrating European deep-space technologies, and deploying two CubeSats to gather additional data.

How Will Hera's Technology Revolutionize Space Exploration?

Hera will introduce several cutting-edge technologies to deep space, including autonomous vision-based navigation and inter-satellite links connecting its three spacecraft. Equipped with 12 instruments and two CubeSats, Hera will perform unprecedented tasks such as radar probing of an asteroid’s interior and deploying ESA’s first deep-space CubeSats.

What Makes Hera's Mission a First in Space Exploration?

Hera is set to achieve multiple milestones:

• It will be the first planetary defense mission for ESA.

• It will orbit a binary asteroid system for the first time.

• It will deploy ESA’s first deep-space CubeSats, which will land on Dimorphos.

• It will visit the smallest and fastest-spinning asteroid explored to date.

• It will conduct radar probing to investigate an asteroid’s internal structure.

What Do We Know About the Asteroid System and Hera's Payload?

The Didymos system consists of a primary body with a 780m diameter and a moonlet, Dimorphos, with a 150m diameter. Hera will carry a suite of advanced instruments including:

• HyperScout H for asteroid composition.

• Thermal Infrared Instrument (TIRI) for temperature mapping.

• Asteroid Framing Camera for detailed imaging.

• Laser Rangefinder for precise distance measurements.

What Is the Role of Hera's CubeSats, Juventas and Milani?

Hera will be accompanied by two CubeSats:

• Juventas: Will deploy a radar instrument for the first asteroid radar sounding, along with a gravimeter and other navigation tools.

• Milani: Will utilize multispectral imaging and dust environment surveys to complement Hera's observations.

What Are the Remaining Mysteries of Dimorphos?

While the DART mission altered Dimorphos’s orbit, there remain unanswered questions about the asteroid’s mass, internal structure, and the precise effects of the impact. Hera will provide crucial data to address these gaps, enhancing our understanding of the effectiveness of kinetic impactor techniques for planetary defense.

Stay tuned for more updates on Hera’s groundbreaking mission as we prepare to explore and understand the complexities of asteroids and advance our planetary defense capabilities!🚀