Spacecraft launches to investigate asteroid threats to Earth
The European Space Agency on Monday launched a spacecraft aboard a SpaceX rocket to investigate a harmless asteroid that Nasa hit in 2022 as part of a "planetary defence test".
The spacecraft, dubbed "Hera", will travel for two years before it reaches the asteroid in question. Researchers say the asteroid was the shape of a flying saucer before it was hit, but now expect it to resemble a kidney bean.
Scientists hope to explore the efficacy of knocking an asteroid off course so they can better prevent future threatening asteroids from colliding with Earth.
