Humankind has always been fascinated by space. From the first steps on the moon with Apollo 11 to insights into the depths of the universe gained from the Hubble Space Telescope, our quest for knowledge and discovery has known no bounds. The Hera mission, a major collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA), Impact AI, Terra Mater Studios and Microsoft Austria, makes space travel accessible to everyone thanks to an interactive AI assistant that provides real-time data from space.
Protecting the Earth as a global goal
Hera is part of the world’s first asteroid defence test mission, known as “Planetary Defense”, and is being carried out in close collaboration with JAXA (Japanese Space Agency) and NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). The mission’s objective is to validate an asteroid deflection technique, ultimately helping protect the Earth from potential cosmic collisions. Earth has witness asteroid impacts throughout its history. The question is not whether such an impact will occur in the future, but when. Building an effective planetary defence system is therefore of the utmost importance.
In response to these challenges, the Hera mission draws on the key findings of the DART mission. In September 2022, NASA conducted a pivotal test in which a spacecraft was deliberately steered towards Dimorphos, the moon of the binary asteroid Didymos. This test showed that humans are capable of deflecting asteroids from their collision course with the Earth. But new questions have arisen for the scientific community because the impact was surprisingly large: What made the effect so severe? What can we learn about the nature of asteroids?
ESA is relying on the Hera mission, which was launched in October 2024, to find answers to these questions. The project aims to analyse the results of the DART mission in more detail and to implement them in viable asteroid defence technologies. Hera will be the first spacecraft to explore a binary asteroid system consisting of two asteroids closely orbiting each other, and to test innovative technologies that could protect humanity from future catastrophes.
“The Hera mission is more than just a step in planetary defence: it shows how technology enables us to make scientific knowledge accessible to everyone. With this mission, we are bringing the fascination of space into people’s lives and we invite them to participate actively in this discovery”, explains Ian Carnelli, ESA’s Head of Mission.
From the stars to the Earth
The Hera mission extends far beyond its role in planetary defence. It offers people around the world an opportunity to be part of a significant scientific endeavour.
The Hera Space Companion, an AI-powered assistant that offers new dimensions of interactivity, is at the heart of the mission. Users can converse directly with the spacecraft, follow discoveries in real time and gain a unique behind-the-scenes insight into the space mission. Whether it’s the latest data on asteroids or technologies being tested during the mission, the Hera Space Companion brings science to people even as the spacecraft carries out its mission millions of kilometres from the Earth.
The platform, powered by Microsoft Azure, is what makes this level of interactivity possible. The intelligent assistant processes user queries and accesses the latest scientific data from ESA to provide people with accurate and timely answers that not only offer insights into the mission but also the latest in space research.
“Hera represents a new form of science communication”, says Markus Mooslechner, concept developer and producer at Terra Mater Studios. “It brings the fascination of space travel directly to people and turns access to science into a shared experience that everyone can understand.”
A window into the future
The Hera mission not only marks a significant advance in planetary defence, but also the beginning of a new era in scientific knowledge sharing. From climate research to Earth observation, the Hera Space Companion approach has great potential for other scientific disciplines, too. It makes science tangible and accessible, moving it out of the ivory tower and turning it into a shared experience that sparks curiosity and promotes individual learning.
“With Hera, we have demonstrated that science can be inclusive and engaging for everyone,” says Hermann Erlach, General Manager at Microsoft Austria. “This project illustrates that AI not only offers solutions to today’s challenges, but also has the potential to fundamentally change the way we acquire and share knowledge.”
