Hera is a space mission in development at the European Space Agency in its Space Safety program. Its primary objective is to study the Didymos binary asteroid system that was impacted by DART and contribute to validation of the kinetic impact method to deviate a near-Earth asteroid in a colliding trajectory with Earth. It will measure the size and the morphology of the crater created by and momentum transferred by an artificial projectile impacting an asteroid, which will allow measuring the efficiency of the deflection produced by the impact. It will also analyze the expanding debris cloud caused by the impact.
Asteroid B1061 - Flight Proven ( ) Atlantic OceanReplacement Vulcan test launch with inert payload, experiments, and demonstrations for certification with the USSF after delays caused by payload testing of the Sierra Space Dreamchaser CRS SNC-1 mission, the original planned payload. One of the GEM-63XL SRBs was observed to blown out its booster nozzle at T+37 seconds, causing reduced and asymmetric thrust during ascent, however the performance shortfall was fully compensated by Vulcan's other stages.
Heliocentric N/AShijian 19 is a Chinese recoverable satellite for hoisting various scientific experiments in microgravity. Unlike previous similar Chinese satellites, the return capsule can be reused up to 15 times and can carry about 500 kg of recoverable payload, as well as 200 kg of unrecoverable payload. This type of satellite can be flown in a short term configuration powered by batteries or in a long term configuration with solar arrays.
Low Earth Orbit