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  • Hera mission to asteroid Didymos: ESA contribution to the AIDA international collaboration

    Paper number

    IAC-19,A3,4A,9,x49489

    Author

    Mr. Ian Carnelli, France, European Space Agency (ESA)

    Coauthor

    Dr. Michael Kueppers, Spain, ESA

    Coauthor

    Dr. Patrick Michel, France, CNRS

    Coauthor

    Mr. Paolo Martino, The Netherlands, ESA - European Space Agency

    Coauthor

    Mr. Massimo Casasco, The Netherlands, European Space Agency (ESA)

    Coauthor

    Mr. Jesus Gil Fernandez, The Netherlands, ESA

    Coauthor

    Mr. Paolo Concari, The Netherlands, SERCO for ESA

    Coauthor

    Dr. Ana Rugina, The Netherlands, Graz University of Technology (TU Graz)

    Coauthor

    Mr. Francisco de Borja Garcia Gutierrez, The Netherlands, European Space Agency (ESA)

    Coauthor

    Mr. Michael Khan, Germany, European Space Agency (ESA)

    Coauthor

    Mr. Alberto Valverde Carretero, The Netherlands, Moltek Consultants ltd. for ESA

    Year

    2019

    Abstract
    Hera is a small spacecraft under study at ESA to launch in 2023 and rendezvous with asteroid Didymos in 2026 with the main objective of studying the results of NASA's DART hypervelocity impact. Hera and DART together from the Asteroid Impact and Deflection assessment mission to validate the kinetic impact asteroid deflection technique. Hera is currently in phase B1, phase B2 is planned to start in the forth quarter of 2019. It is part of the new Space Safety Programme under preparation at ESA and proposed the its Member States for approval by the Council at ministerial level planned in November 2019. The Hera spacecraft is a small platform carrying two 6U cubesats, two navigation cameras, a thermal imager and small ranging lidar. It will rendezvous and investigate the binary asteroid Didymos with the objective of characterising its physical and dynamical properties necessary for a detailed interpretation of DART impact effects. The investigations will also focus on the morphology of the crater generated by DART also using the support of its cubesats. The paper presents the details of the mission design, its technology and implementation status within the new ESA Space Safety Programme.
    Abstract document

    IAC-19,A3,4A,9,x49489.brief.pdf

    Manuscript document

    IAC-19,A3,4A,9,x49489.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

    To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.