ESA’s Hera Mission Launch – Take Advantage of this Excellent Opportunity to Host your Next Event!

The launch of the Hera mission will take place in October, marking another historic moment to be celebrated with a great event!

We are just a few days away from advancing humanity’s efforts to develop alternatives to mitigate the risks associated with potential asteroid impacts on Earth. The Hera mission, initiated by the European Space Agency (ESA), is set to launch with the objective of visiting the Didymos-Dimorphos asteroid system and analysing the outcomes of NASA’s DART probe’s successful impact on the small moon Dimorphos in 2022. 

The probe will utilise the launch window from October 7 to 25 and will embark on a journey lasting approximately two years, with an anticipated arrival at its destination by late 2026.

Explore these great event ideas that capitalise on this launch and participate in another significant chapter in planetary defense missions:

Introduce Hera – Present the Hera mission to your audience through this engaging video series produced by the European Space Agency. With easy language and fun visuals, these videos are highly recommended for children and young people.

Lectures and conferences – Take a moment to outline the details and objectives of the Hera mission, as well as its relationship to the previous DART mission. Our lessons are at your disposal to support your presentation and engage your audience with interesting topics about asteroids and planetary defense.

Infographic illustrating the stages of the Hera mission.(https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Hera/Hera)

It is essential to acknowledge the significance if the DART probe’s impact on asteroid Dimorphos in 2022. Encourage your audience to engage discussions about the potential findings of the Hera mission regarding Dimorphos. For instance, we already know, that the DART impact genarated a tail of debris, but what additional discoveries might be made? Additionally, it may be worthwhile to discuss the studies and preliminary impact results that have been published in scientific literature.

Martian moon Deimos. Hera will test its equipment by photographing this small moon (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter / NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona)

First stop: Mars – Before reaching its primary target, Hera is scheduled to conduct a flyby of Mars in 2025 to utilise gravitational assistance. This flyby will also serve to test its equipment by capturing images of the Red Planet, particularly focusing on its moon Deimos. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory website features a gallery of images of this small Martian moon taken by various missions over the years, which may be useful in your presentation.

Hera probe and its cubesats assembled with LEGO bricks (Rebrickable)

Exhibitions and Workshops – Engage your audience with a timeline of significant missions through our downloadable poster exhibition. The Rebrickable website provides an opportunity to construct the Hera spacecraft model using LEGO bricks, including its cubesats. Additionally, a workshop can be prepared that includes the assembling of paper models of other missions focused on asteroids.

Candy inspired by the asteroid Dimorphos after the DART probe impact (Erika Gracyele)

Taste Dimorphos – Historic occasions call for special receptions. Brazilian amateur astronomer and pastry chef Erika Gracyele has created a delicious candy inspired by the asteroid Dimorphos following the DART impact. Watch how to make them and welcome your audience to try them.

Host a Watch Party – Bring your community together to watch this historic event. Consider organising a gathering for people of all ages at a local school, museum or pub to watch the launch of the Hera spacecraft. If in-person gatherings are not feasible, organise a watch party from your home computer and share your comments via Twitch TV or YouTube. Don´t forget to invite your audience to ask their questions to enhance interaction. The Next Spaceflight website provides data about the rocket launching the Hera spacecraft, including updated information on the launch day, time, and livestream options.

Please remember to register your event and let us know what it was like to follow this historic moment!