On October 7, 2024, at 8:52 AM (Brasilia time), the European Space Agency's (ESA) Hera mission will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. This mission follows NASA's DART mission, which successfully altered the orbit of the asteroid Dimorphos in 2022.
Hera aims to conduct a detailed investigation of Dimorphos, which was impacted by DART, reducing its orbit by 33 minutes. The spacecraft is expected to perform a deep space maneuver within two weeks, followed by a flyby of Mars and Deimos in March 2025.
The Hera mission will include a primary mission duration of six months, arriving at the Didymos/Dimorphos system in December 2026. The mission will also contribute significantly to understanding asteroid deflection techniques, which are crucial for planetary defense.
With a budget of approximately 363 million euros (about 400 million dollars), Hera will carry nanosatellites Juventas and Milani, designed for exploring the asteroid's structure and composition.