Spacecraft Sees Earth and Moon for the LAST Time, but Where Is It Headed Next?

Testing the equipment on an interstellar mission is one of the first things operators do when the spacecraft successfully launches. Even before the spacecraft reaches its intended destination, these tests are crucial to determine if everything is working according to plan. After all, resending or recalling a spacecraft is not feasible, especially when it costs millions of dollars.

In some cases, those tests show the future troubles the mission will face. A good example is NASA’s Lucy mission that was launched a few years ago. Although Lucy did capture some stunning images of the Earth and Moon, there were concerns that the spacecraft’s solar array might not be fully functional.

Fortunately, not all spacecrafts suffer from technical issues during testing. Some missions are designed to provide unprecedented perspectives to help us understand the universe better. Such is the case of the Hera mission. Hera, a spacecraft designed by the European Space Agency (ESA), is on a mission to explore a binary asteroid system. The spacecraft recently performed a flyby of Earth and the Moon. But what’s unique about this event is that it’s the last time the spacecraft will see our cosmic neighborhood.

So, why did Hera perform a flyby of Earth and the Moon? This flyby was not just about capturing breathtaking images. Hera took advantage of Earth’s gravity to adjust its trajectory and gain the necessary speed to reach its destination. This technique, known as gravity assist, has been used by various spacecraft in the past. It allows the spacecraft to harness the gravity of celestial bodies like planets to change direction and speed.

However, Hera’s primary mission is not to study the Earth or the Moon. The spacecraft is on its way to the binary asteroid system known as Didymos. This system consists of two asteroids, one of which is a mini moon revolving around the other. The main asteroid, measuring about 780 meters in diameter, is orbited by a smaller moonlet called Dimorphos. This mission will provide scientists with valuable insights into the formation of our solar system and the role of small bodies in shaping the cosmos.

The Hera mission also has an intriguing secondary objective. It will observe the aftermath of the DART spacecraft impact on Dimorphos, which took place last year. The DART mission was designed to test the feasibility of deflecting potentially hazardous asteroids. By observing the effects of this impact, scientists hope to understand the long-term consequences of deflecting an asteroid using a kinetic impactor.

While Hera’s journey has just begun, we can expect many groundbreaking discoveries in the months to come. Whether you’re a space enthusiast or just casually interested in interstellar missions, keep a lookout for updates on this exciting journey. As Hera continues on its quest to explore the mysteries of our universe, we may uncover answers to some of the most enduring cosmic mysteries of our time.