SpaceX is set to launch the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft on Monday from Florida’s Cape Canaveral, marking a significant milestone in planetary defense efforts. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the authorization of the launch, following a thorough review.
The planned liftoff at 10:52 a.m. ET (1452 GMT) signifies the return to flight for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket after it was grounded due to a second-stage malfunction during the Crew-9 mission. In that September incident, the rocket’s second stage fell into the Pacific Ocean outside its approved safety zone, prompting the FAA to mandate an extensive investigation.
The FAA stated on Sunday, “The SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle is authorized to return to flight only for the planned Hera mission scheduled to launch on October 7 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.” The agency noted that potential public safety risks are mitigated by the absence of a second-stage reentry in this mission, addressing concerns from the previous malfunction.
Hera’s mission is crucial in assessing the impact of NASA’s 2022 Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which successfully altered the course of the asteroid Dimorphos. By studying the aftermath, Hera aims to provide valuable data to enhance future strategies for redirecting asteroids that could pose threats to Earth—a matter of global importance.
Notably, the DART spacecraft was initially launched aboard a Falcon 9 in 2021, underlining the ongoing collaboration between international space agencies and SpaceX in advancing space exploration and planetary defense.
Reference(s):
SpaceX's Falcon 9 cleared for Hera mission launch after FAA review
cgtn.com
