Brake! Time for ESA’s Hera asteroid mission to go slow
Launched two years ago today, the European Space Agency’s Hera mission for planetary defence 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 manoeuvres to slow it down to approach its target asteroids.
Published by ESA on 10/07/2026