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Redwire Computer to Play Key Role in ESA’s Planetary Defense Mission

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October 02, 2024

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Hera is the European-led companion mission to NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which made headlines in September 2022 for successfully impacting the binary asteroid system Didymos with Redwire power and navigation technology onboard. The Hera mission, equipped with the Redwire onboard computer, is set to provide a comprehensive survey of DART’s impact site, shedding light on the aftermath of this groundbreaking event.

The onboard computer for Hera was meticulously developed by Redwire’s wholly owned Belgian subsidiary, Redwire Space NV, in collaboration with OHB Germany, the primary industrial contractor for the mission. Known as the Redwire’s third generation Advanced Data and Power Management System (ADPMS-3), this cutting-edge technology is specifically designed to oversee and regulate various spacecraft components, ensuring the seamless transmission of crucial data to ground operators. With a focus on deep space operations, ADPMS-3 will be responsible for managing essential spacecraft functions such as power distribution and navigation, playing a pivotal role in key mission milestones like the deployment and monitoring of ESA’s deep-space CubeSats and the final orbital insertion at Didymos.

According to Erik Masure, President of Redwire Space Europe, “Redwire’s third generation onboard computer, drawing on over 25 years of flight heritage and avionics expertise, has emerged as a critical enabler for today’s most ambitious missions.” Masure expressed pride in the partnership with ESA for the Hera mission, emphasizing its significance in advancing humanity’s capabilities in planetary defense and enhancing our scientific comprehension of asteroids.

The Hera mission represents a significant addition to Redwire’s expanding array of space technologies aimed at driving scientific exploration and bolstering planetary defense initiatives. In addition to providing digital sun sensors and Roll-Out Solar Array technology for NASA’s DART mission, Redwire is also supplying the onboard computer for ESA’s Comet Interceptor mission, which marks the first spacecraft expedition to a long-period comet. Leveraging 25 years of spaceflight heritage, ADPMS has previously supported various ESA missions, including Proba-2, Proba-V, and Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle.

Looking ahead, Hera is scheduled to be launched into space by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in October 2024, marking another milestone in the mission’s journey towards advancing our understanding of asteroids and enhancing planetary defense capabilities.

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