# Hera Mission

**Type:** ESA planetary defense follow-up mission  
**Status:** En route to Didymos  
**Launch:** 2024  
**Arrival:** November 2026 (one month ahead of schedule)  
**Primary Goal:** Post-impact analysis of DART crater and Dimorphos structure  

## Overview

Hera is ESA's follow-up mission to NASA's DART impact. It will conduct detailed analysis of the DART crater, refine the beta factor measurement, and determine Dimorphos's internal structure to assess whether kinetic deflection effectiveness varies with asteroid composition.

## Mission Objectives

1. Characterize the DART impact crater
2. Refine beta factor (momentum transfer efficiency) measurement
3. Determine Dimorphos's internal structure and composition
4. Assess whether kinetic deflection is as effective on denser, more monolithic asteroids as on rubble-pile structures

## Timeline

- **2024** — Hera launches
- **November 2026** — Scheduled arrival at Didymos binary system (one month ahead of original schedule due to mission efficiency)