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ESA Primary source

Cruise control: the team guiding Hera to its asteroid

Cruise control: the team guiding Hera to its asteroid

Image: ESA

Machine-written summary, checked against the sources below

ESA's Hera asteroid mission separated from its launcher on 7 October 2024, beginning a lengthy cruise phase across millions of kilometers of space. The car-sized spacecraft is now traveling toward its rocky destination, guided by its mission team.

First the European Space Agency's Hera asteroid mission separated from its launcher on 7 October 2024, next its lengthy ‘cruise phase’ began – the car-sized spacecraft’s journey through millions of kilometres of nothingness to converge on its rocky destination.

Summary by ESA, the primary source

Read the release at ESA