NASA is set to launch a groundbreaking mission to study an asteroid in 2023. The Hera mission will be the first mission to explore a double asteroid system, consisting of the main asteroid known as Didymos and its tiny moon, nicknamed Dimorphos.

The mission will use a range of innovative technologies to study the two objects, including a pioneering acoustic instrument which will measure the properties of the asteroid’s surface. Developed by researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, the instrument will be the first of its kind to be used on an asteroid mission.

The Hera mission is an exciting step forward in our understanding of the solar system. Its acoustic instrument will allow us to measure the properties of an asteroid’s surface in a way that has never been done before. With this mission, we are sure to gain a better understanding of the formation and evolution of asteroids - and the solar system as a whole.

Read Full Article Here

source: Phys.org