{"675256":{"#nid":"675256","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hirabayashi Chosen by NASA to Join European Space Agency\u2019s Planetary Mission to Study Results of Asteroid Deflection","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMasatoshi (Toshi) Hirabayashi\u003C\/strong\u003E, an associate professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering,\u0026nbsp;has been selected by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/planetary-science\/nasa-selects-participating-scientists-to-join-esas-hera-mission\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA\u2019s Hera Participating Scientist Program (HERA-PSP)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to join \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.heramission.space\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ethe European Space Agency\u2019s (ESA) Hera mission\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Together, with an international consortium of 11 other scientists, Hirabayashi will perform a multi-faceted, detailed, post-impact study of NASA\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/dart\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDouble Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The DART mission was led\u0026nbsp;by\u0026nbsp;the Johns Hopkins University\u2019s Applied Physics Laboratory.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe DART mission targeted the binary asteroid system where Dimorphos (the smaller secondary) orbits Didymos (the larger primary), to intentionally cause a spacecraft crash on Dimorphos. The collision, which occurred on September 26, 2022, was the first to demonstrate asteroid deflection by changing the asteroid\u0027s motion in space through kinetic impact. Astronomers monitored this event using ground- and space-based telescopes like the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hubblesite.org\/home\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHubble Telescope (HST)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. A recent \u003Cem\u003ENature \u003C\/em\u003Earticle, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-05811-4\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEjecta, From the DART-Produced Active Asteroid Dimorphos\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003Eon which Hirabayashi is a co-author, documented HST\u2019s detailed observations of the intense dust ejection generated by the impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Hera mission, launching in October 2024, will analyze the post-DART impact conditions of Didymos and Dimorphos by performing remote sensing observations and employing two CubeSats from its parent spacecraft, Hera. Hera will arrive at the asteroid in 2026. The \u003Cem\u003EPlanetary Science Journal\u003C\/em\u003E article, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.3847\/PSJ\/ac6f52\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe ESA Hera Mission: Detailed Characterization of the DART Impact Outcome and the Binary Asteroid Didymos,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E highlights the project\u0027s developments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPlanetary defense is the primary reason for studying near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), particularly potentially hazardous objects (PHOs). While Didymos does not threaten the Earth, scientists want to prepare for the possibility that PHOs could hit the planet. Hera mission researchers can learn valuable information about the system\u0027s impact behavior.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHirabayashi, a co-investigator for the DART mission, said, \u201cI was thrilled to apply my experience in the DART mission, and I\u2019m honored to now be part of the Hera mission.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpecifically, Hirabayashi will analyze the mutual motion of the two asteroids in the Didymos binary system and provide detailed forecasts of the asteroids\u2019 locations and velocities. During this investigation, he will use Georgia Tech\u2019s high-performance computing system, Partnership for an Advanced Computing Environment (PACE). His results will also be used to quantify the system\u0027s post-DART impact behavior and develop new knowledge about planetary defense.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDinosaurs were completely wiped out by an asteroid about 66 million years ago. There are many possible threats, and we need the capability to defend the Earth properly,\u201d Hirabayashi explained. \u201cSuch capability includes performing detailed potential risk assessment in a limited time span and, if necessary, deflecting and disrupting PHOs with proper measurements.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHirabayashi joined Georgia Tech in August 2023. His research concentration is in space operations, celestial mechanics, planetary science, and design and navigation. He works across the campus to explore lunar science at Georgia Tech\u2019s Center for Lunar Environment and Volatile Exploration, one of the NASA\/SSERVI nodes led by \u003Cstrong\u003EThom Orlando\u003C\/strong\u003E in the College of Science\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-leads-center-lunar-research-and-exploration\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The AE professor is working with an international group of scientists who are focused on near-Earth asteroid science and planetary defense.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMasatoshi (Toshi) Hirabayashi\u003C\/strong\u003E, an associate professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering,\u0026nbsp;has been selected by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/planetary-science\/nasa-selects-participating-scientists-to-join-esas-hera-mission\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA\u2019s Hera Participating Scientist Program (HERA-PSP)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to join \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.heramission.space\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ethe European Space Agency\u2019s (ESA) Hera mission\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Together, with an international consortium of 11 other scientists, Hirabayashi will perform a multi-faceted, detailed, post-impact study of NASA\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/dart\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDouble Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The DART mission was led\u0026nbsp;by\u0026nbsp;the Johns Hopkins University\u2019s Applied Physics Laboratory.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Masatoshi (Toshi) Hirabayashi, with an international consortium of 11 other scientists, will perform a multi-faceted, detailed, post-impact study of NASA\u2019s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission. "}],"uid":"36345","created_gmt":"2024-06-27 18:02:04","changed_gmt":"2024-06-27 18:08:25","author":"gwaddell3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-06-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-06-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674254":{"id":"674254","type":"image","title":"hera-her-cubesats-and-their-rocky-target-destination (1).jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHera spacecraft and its CubeSats in orbit around the Dimorphos moonlet\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1719511588","gmt_created":"2024-06-27 18:06:28","changed":"1719511588","gmt_changed":"2024-06-27 18:06:28","alt":"Hera spacecraft and its CubeSats in orbit around the Dimorphos moonlet","file":{"fid":"257748","name":"hera-her-cubesats-and-their-rocky-target-destination (1).jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/27\/hera-her-cubesats-and-their-rocky-target-destination%20%281%29_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/27\/hera-her-cubesats-and-their-rocky-target-destination%20%281%29_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":595055,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/27\/hera-her-cubesats-and-their-rocky-target-destination%20%281%29_0.jpg?itok=39laQJBH"}}},"media_ids":["674254"],"groups":[{"id":"1239","name":"School of Aerospace Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193816","name":"Planetary defense"},{"id":"177182","name":"asteroids"},{"id":"193817","name":"DART Mission"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMonique Waddell\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["monique.waddell@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}