Spacecraft Dispatched to Asteroid That NASA Slammed in Previous Save-the-Earth Test
NASA’s Dart mission, conducted in 2022, demonstrated the possibility of altering an asteroid’s trajectory.
The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft has embarked on a two-year mission to study a small asteroid previously impacted by NASA’s Dart spacecraft. This mission marks the second phase of a planetary defense test aimed at preparing for potential threats from space rocks that could endanger Earth.
Launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon rocket, Hera disappeared into late morning clouds on Monday as it set out on its historic voyage. An hour following launch, celebration erupted in Germany’s control center when the spacecraft successfully separated from the rocket’s upper stage and established communication with Earth.
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