Planetary Defense Hero: Hera Mission Overcomes SpaceX Setbacks for Crucial Launch
Paris, France – The European Space Agency’s Hera mission, a crucial part of planetary defense efforts following NASA’s DART impact on Dimorphos, inches closer to its anticipated launch despite recent challenges with the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Hera spacecraft is currently scheduled for liftoff on October 7, 2024, pending resolution of technical issues that led to the grounding of the Falcon 9’s upper stage after an anomaly on a recent mission. Hera’s mission is …