The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft rocketed away on a two-year journey to the small, harmless asteroid rammed by NASA two years ago in a dress rehearsal for the day a killer space rock threatens Earth.
Launched by SpaceX from Cape Canaveral, it’s the second part of a planetary defense test that could one day help save the planet.
The 2022 crash by NASA’s Dart spacecraft shortened Dimorphos’ orbit around its bigger companion, demonstrating that if a dangerous rock was headed our way, there’s a chance it could be knocked off course with enough advance notice.
Researchers want to know whether Dart — short for Double Asteroid Redirection Test — left a crater or perhaps reshaped the 500-foot (150-meter) asteroid more dramatically.
ESA’s Hera mission lifted off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday at 10:52am.
Persons:
there’s, Dart, Derek Richardson, Richardson, ESA Dart’s wallop, Hera, Ignacio Tanco, ”, “, Ian Carnelli, It’s
Organizations:
NASA, SpaceX, NASA’s, ” University of Maryland, Cape Canaveral Space Force, ESA
Locations:
Cape Canaveral, Cape, Florida, Dimorphos, Darmstadt, Germany, Didymos