Protecting Earth from asteroid impact: HERA – the planetary defence mission

Protecting Earth from asteroid impact: HERA – the planetary defence mission
Didymos is a near-Earth double asteroid, consisting of the ‘primary asteroid’ of the same name [eng. primary vs. secondary asteroid], which is orbited by the smaller ‘asteroid moon’ Dimorphos. Didymos has a diameter of approx. 800 metres, Dimorphos approx. 170 metres. Originally, the distance was approx. 1.1 kilometres and the orbital period was 11 hours 55 minutes. The controlled impact of NASA's DART space probe on 26 September 2022 shortened the orbital period of the asteroid moon by 32 minutes to 11 hours 23 minutes, bringing it closer to Didymos. The Hera space probe will investigate both asteroids and the effects of the impact. It is equipped with twelve measuring instruments and two CubeSats, both of which will land on Dimorphos. Hera is roughly the size of a small car and weighs around 1,150 kilograms when fully fuelled - which is very compact compared to the three-tonne comet hunter Rosetta.

Protecting Earth from asteroid impact: HERA – the planetary defence mission

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Protecting Earth from asteroid impact: HERA – the planetary defence mission
Didymos is a near-Earth double asteroid, consisting of the ‘primary asteroid’ of the same name [eng. primary vs. secondary asteroid], which is orbited by the smaller ‘asteroid moon’ Dimorphos. Didymos has a diameter of approx. 800 metres, Dimorphos approx. 170 metres. Originally, the distance was approx. 1.1 kilometres and the orbital period was 11 hours 55 minutes. The controlled impact of NASA's DART space probe on 26 September 2022 shortened the orbital period of the asteroid moon by 32 minutes to 11 hours 23 minutes, bringing it closer to Didymos. The Hera space probe will investigate both asteroids and the effects of the impact. It is equipped with twelve measuring instruments and two CubeSats, both of which will land on Dimorphos. Hera is roughly the size of a small car and weighs around 1,150 kilograms when fully fuelled - which is very compact compared to the three-tonne comet hunter Rosetta.