Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, 'Out There,' was published on Nov. 13, 2018.
Jam packed issues filled with the latest cutting-edge research, technology and theories delivered in an entertaining and visually stunning way, aiming to educate and inspire readers of all agesEarth as seen from the upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during the launch of Europe's Hera asteroid mission on Oct. 7, 2024.
The Hera spacecraft is seen after separating from its Falcon 9 rocket with a stunning crescent Earth in the background after launch on Oct. 7, 2024.Getting to that orbit took a lot out of the Falcon 9's first stage as well. The booster didn't have enough fuel left over to come back to Earth for a safe landing, so the Hera mission was its 23rd and final flight, tying a
"Farewell, 1061, and we thank you," John Insprucker, a SpaceX principal integration engineer, said during the launch webcast on Monday, using the booster's numerical designation.Hera is headed for a binary asteroid system consisting of a large space rock called Didymos and its smaller companion, Dimorphos. It will get there in late 2026, if all goes according to plan.
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test spacecraft slammed into Dimorphos intentionally in September 2022, demonstrating a technique humanity could use to knock a potentially dangerous asteroid off a collision course with Earth. Hera will help scientists assess the effects of DART's impact, studying the crater the probe gouged out and confirming other changes noted by remote observation and modeling work, such as the shortening of Didymos' orbit around the system's common center of mass.to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: and joined the team in 2010.
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