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The European Space Agency (ESA) will join NASA's DART satellite, which is expected to collide with the sun-bleached, rock-covered surface to determine whether the asteroid can be diverted from its course around the Earth.
Astrophysicist Brian May said that if they found this type of opportunity, it would be difficult. If it was possible to deviate Didymos, its target would be 160 meters wide and over millions of miles of empty space.
But can they really prevent an asteroid from hitting the planet Earth? Because dinosaurs could not. But humans have science on their side.
Brian May then said, "Imagine a rock the size of a mountain with another rock the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza." Hera – this amazing spaceship – will show us things we have never seen before. This will be the first spaceship to visit a double asteroid.
Can we prevent such an asteroid from hitting us?
This is actually the first step in helping ESA to see if it can deflect such an asteroid as it moves towards planet Earth. The mission will be a revolutionary part of understanding asteroids and how we can protect ourselves from them. All of this is crucial to saving our planet.
First, NASA will crush its DART spacecraft into the smaller asteroid, called Didymoon. This will happen before ESA's Hera measures the mass of the asteroid and sees the impact it could have on the Earth. Hera will carry two CubeSats on her board and will be able to fly much closer to the surface of the asteroid.
Hera's close sightings will turn the asteroid deflection into an excellent defense technique.
Stacy Richardson is a seasoned journalist with 15 years of experience. She has done extensive research on the effects of the media, including the effects of bullying on teens and the effects of "sexy media" on sexual behavior. As a contributor to Great Lakes Ledger, Stacy covers stories about local politics and the economy. Contact Stacy here.
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