ESA's Hera Spacecraft Approaches Didymos System with First Close-Up Images

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) spacecraft, Hera, built by OHB, has returned its first close-up images of the Didymos asteroid system. These images mark the beginning of the mission's pivotal phase, intended to provide insights from Europe’s initial planetary defense mission.

Hera captured views from 60 kilometers away, highlighting an unexplored side of Didymos with its rugged terrain. The images promise unprecedented details about the asteroid's surface, crucial for assessing ESA's first asteroid-deflection experiment outcomes.

Having covered millions of kilometers, Hera, launched in October 2024, now prepares for a historic rendezvous with Didymos and Dimorphos. This mission validates the use of kinetic impact for asteroid deflection, previously demonstrated by NASA's DART mission in 2022.

Hera's project is a collaborative effort within Europe, involving over 100 companies. It aims to support future planetary defenses and is integral to ESA’s follow-on mission, RAMSES.