Hera Spacecraft Assembled for Asteroid Impact Study

The European Space Agency (ESA) has assembled its Hera spacecraft, which will be sent to study the aftermath of the NASA DART mission's impact on the asteroid Dimorphos.

This propulsion module was mated with Hera's Core Module at OHB Bremen to complete the spacecraft structure. (Image credit: ESA)

The DART mission, which launched in November 2021, intentionally crashed into Dimorphos in September 2022. The impact was designed to change the asteroid's orbit, and it is hoped that Hera will be able to measure the extent of this change.

The Hera spacecraft is equipped with a variety of instruments, including a lidar sensor, a camera, and a thermal camera. These instruments will be used to study the physical characteristics of Dimorphos, as well as the impact crater created by the DART collision.

Hera is scheduled to launch in October 2024 and will reach Dimorphos in late 2026. The spacecraft will spend about a year studying the asteroid system, before returning to Earth with its data.

The Hera mission is a critical part of the international effort to develop planetary defense techniques. By studying the aftermath of the DART impact, Hera will help scientists to better understand how to deflect asteroids that pose a threat to Earth.