ESA's Hera Mission: Unveiling Asteroid Secrets with Mini-Radar

The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing to send its Hera probe and CubeSats to study the asteroid Dimorphos after it was struck by NASA's DART probe. The CubeSat, called Juventas, will be equipped with a radar system to scan the interior of the asteroid. The radar analysis will be the smallest radar system to ever fly in space and will examine the effects of the impact, including gravimetric measurements and mineral surveys. The mission is seen as a critical step in developing a planetary defense mechanism against potentially harmful asteroids.