The Incredible Adventures of the Hera mission – The space detectives arrive
ESA’s Hera mission and its CubeSat companions have reached the Didymos double asteroid system, marking the first Solar System object whose orbit was altered by human intervention.
Hera, ESA’s asteroid detective, has arrived at the Didymos binary asteroid system alongside two CubeSats, Milani and Juventas, after a two-year journey. The mission aims to study the aftermath of NASA’s DART impact, which altered Dimorphos’ orbit, making it the first Solar System object shifted by human action. Hera will conduct detailed surveys to assess the collision’s effects and gather data on the asteroid’s composition and structure.
Milani, the rock decoder CubeSat, will analyze surface dust and composition using its multispectral imager and thermal infrared spectrometer. Juventas, the radar visionary, will probe the asteroid’s internal structure with a low-frequency radar, providing insights into its subsurface properties. Both CubeSats will operate independently after separating from Hera to conduct close-up examinations.
The mission will also test new autonomous navigation technologies, allowing Hera and its CubeSats to operate with minimal ground control. This includes close flybys and hovering maneuvers near the asteroid, demonstrating precision navigation in deep space. The data collected will help refine planetary defense strategies against potential asteroid impacts.
Hera’s arrival marks the beginning of a six-month science phase, where the spacecraft will map the asteroid system in high resolution. The mission’s findings will contribute to understanding the formation and evolution of binary asteroids, offering clues about the early Solar System. Public engagement materials, including an episode of ‘The Incredible Adventures of the Hera mission,’ will explain the mission’s goals and discoveries to a broad audience.