The Federal Aviation Administration announced that SpaceX has been cleared to launch the European Space Agency’s Hera asteroid probe on Monday, pending stormy weather conditions. The launch is targeted for 10:52 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Project manager Ian Carnelli expressed concerns about the weather being the last hurdle to overcome before the launch. The forecast predicts an 85% chance of thick clouds and showers that could trigger a delay to Tuesday if necessary. The Hera probe will work alongside NASA’s DART probe to study how the high-speed impact altered the moonlet’s orbit and structure.
Hurricane Milton poses threats throughout the week as it is expected to cross the Florida peninsula on Wednesday and move out over the Atlantic Ocean near Florida’s Space Coast. The launch of NASA’s Europa Clipper mission has been put on hold due to the storm. The safety of launch team personnel is a top priority, with precautions being taken to protect the Europa Clipper spacecraft. Three astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon ferry ship have also delayed their return to Earth due to expected bad weather. The Crew Dragon ships require calm winds and seas for a safe splashdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration clearance for the Hera launch comes as they continue investigating the Falcon 9 second stage malfunction that occurred on September 28. SpaceX usually sends spent second stages into the atmosphere for a destructive breakup at the end of their missions. The FAA wants to ensure that future re-entries are carried out as planned to prevent any debris from causing harm. While the Hera mission’s second stage will not return to Earth, safety measures are being taken to mitigate any risks of malfunction. The FAA did not address plans for the launch of the Europa Clipper mission on a Falcon Heavy rocket.
The FAA’s clearance for SpaceX’s Hera launch focuses on safety and ensuring the public is not at risk in the event of a malfunction. The agency is continuing to review the mishap experienced by the Crew-9 mission to improve safety measures. The Europa Clipper mission, which will also use a Falcon rocket, is awaiting clearance to proceed with its long-awaited mission to Jupiter and its moon Europa. The upper stage of the Clipper mission will not return to Earth, and the timeline for its launch will depend on the FAA’s completion of its review and authorization for Falcon 9 to return to regular operations. It is likely that the Clipper mission will be moved to the launch pad after the passing of Hurricane Milton.
