Slow Down! It’s Time for ESA’s Hera Asteroid Mission to Hit the Brakes

Posted by Guy Pirro | 10/18/2026 04:51PM | Comments

Launched two years ago today, the European Space Agency’s Hera mission for planetary defense has been hurtling away from Earth ever since. The small-car-sized spacecraft is now preparing for its single most challenging activity since lift-off: the sustained braking maneuvers to slow it down to approach its target asteroids.