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Europe's Hera spacecraft begins close inspections of an asteroid rammed by NASA in a 2022 test
Phys.org • • general
Key Points:
- The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft has begun close inspections of the asteroid Didymos and its moonlet Dimorphos, approaching within 15 to 18 miles (25 to 30 kilometers).
- NASA's Dart spacecraft intentionally collided with Dimorphos in 2022 to test planetary defense by altering the moonlet's orbit and trajectory around the sun.
- Hera, launched in 2024, will move even closer next month, aiming to approach within 12 miles (20 kilometers) and conduct a detailed "crash site investigation" with 25 scientific instruments and two Cubesats.
- The Dart impact ejected debris and boulders from Dimorphos, creating a trail extending over 10,000 kilometers, some of which may still be near the asteroid system.
- Dimorphos measures about 500 feet (151 meters) in diameter, while Didymos is approximately 2,560 feet (780 meters) across.
