AP Aerospace Writer
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A spacecraft has blasted off to investigate the scene of a cosmic crash. The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft rocketed away from Florida on Monday on a two-year journey to the small, harmless asteroid rammed by NASA in 2022. It’s the second part of a planetary defense test that could one day help save Earth. Launched by SpaceX, Hera will attempt to go into orbit around the asteroid and its larger companion in 2026. Scientists are eager to examine the impact’s aftermath up close. They want to know exactly how effective NASA’s impact was and what changes might be needed to safeguard Earth in the future.
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