Part of the first test of asteroid deflection. Launched 7 October 2024 on a mission to the binary asteroid system Didymos. #HeraMission #PlanetaryDefence

Joined June 2023
"Are we there yet?"🛰️ 🪨 "NEARLY!" 📽️Watch the latest episode of our animated Incredible Adventure of Hera series: The Space Detectives Arrive! esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Video…
2
21
1
53
8,919
Hera’s initial 93-minute braking manoeuvre on Thursday morning is confirmed to have performed within required parameters; the follow-up braking manoeuvre is scheduled for Thursday 22 October. Want to know more? Ask our Hera Space Companion hera.esa.int/
4
20
5
81
7,424
Next week's kid-oriented Science Days at Germany's @europa_park include talks on Hera - & a chance to experience the mission in VR - as well as an appearance by ESA astronaut @Astro_Alex (in 🇩🇪 language). Media welcome! esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Relea…
3
1
10
1,246
Read about Hera's forthcoming arrival at the Dimorphos asteroid in this space.com feature: space.com/space-exploration/…
2
9
20
1,959
Hera imagery of Deimos gathered during last year's flyby is helping to guide MMX observations - godspeed!
📣Launch announcement The Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission is set to launch on a H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center at 21:41 CEST on 19 October 2026 👉esa.int/Science_Exploration/… 1/4
1
12
39
2,498
Join the Hera Asteroid Detectives during the school break at #ESTEC in 🇳🇱's visitor centre @Spaceexpo - and solve an asteroid mystery! This Hera-based interactive presentation is included in your main ticket space-expo.nl/en/agenda/herf…
1
5
20
1,732
Imagine throwing a ball up into the sky so hard & fast it just keeps going - that's our Hera mission, now nearing its target asteroids across millions of km of space. 🛰️ 🪨 But how does Hera know where it is & where it needs to go? That's the task of ESA's Flight Dynamics team esa.int/Space_Safety/Hera/Fi…
4
21
65
2,645
ESA's Hera mission retweeted
🚨🚨🚨On its second birthday in space, ESA's Hera mission for planetary defence has spotted its asteroid destination for the first time, from an approximate distance of 236 500 km away! The Didymos system is actually two asteroids, seen as a single pixel for now esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Image…
6
40
11
147
31,599
Launched two years ago today, ESA's Hera mission for planetary defence is preparing for its single most challenging activity since lift-off: the sustained braking manoeuvre allowing it to approach its target asteroids: esa.int/Space_Safety/Hera/Br…
2
20
62
2,308
& find out more about the essential work of ESA's Flight Dynamics team - Europe's navigators of space! 👉esa.int/Space_Safety/Hera/Fi…
1
5
262
ESA's Hera mission retweeted
🎂Happy birthday Hera🛰️! ESA’s asteroid mission for planetary defence lifted off two years ago today! 📽️But where is Hera about to arrive at, and how might its discoveries one day help save planet Earth...?
2
26
7
88
32,278
Celebrate Hera's 2nd birthday in space online with mission principal investigator Patrick Michel at sciencekind.com at 1830 CEST (1730 UK BST) this evening - reserve your virtual seat now!
6
17
1,584
Currently speeding through space at 12 km/s, ESA’s Hera spacecraft is due to reach its target Dimorphos asteroid this November. But if an astronaut were magically teleported onto Hera, what would they see & what would it happen if they let themself fall? esa.int/Space_Safety/Hera/A_…
1
23
1
67
3,393
Any questions? You can ask our Hera Space Companion right now - our AI fed with approved operational, scientific and technical knowledge, making ESA’s first planetary defence mission accessible to everyone! hera.esa.int
9
27
1,104
Meet a key member of our Hera asteroid mission team: the Hera Space Companion, not just an AI chatbot but a dynamic communication platform, ready to answer all your questions! hera.esa.int/
3
23
4
81
42,504
ESA's Hera mission retweeted
An asteroid killed the dinosaurs because they didn’t have a space agency – so ESA’s Hera asteroid mission has a dino mascot (also aboard in real life!). But our dino needs a name – that’s where you come in! Suggest a winning name to join us at the unveiling of Hera’s 1st image in November: esa.int/dino
10
21
5
64
10,383