Hera Probe Spots Dimorphos for the First Time as Separate Rock

Can you see an asteroid struck by a spacecraft from 795 miles away? ESA's Hera probe imaged the Didymos binary system on 18 October from 1,280 kilometres, about 197 million kilometres from Earth. In that picture Dimorphos covers only about one pixel, yet it is clearly distinct from its parent body.

NASA's DART spacecraft hit Dimorphos in September 2022 and changed its orbit, and Hera is designed to survey the damage and study both asteroids. Launched in October 2024 on a SpaceX Falcon 9, the probe made braking manoeuvres this October to set up its rendezvous. It carries twelve payloads and two cubesats for closer inspection.

A landing on Dimorphos, which is about 151 metres wide, remains possible. ESA plans to release the first detailed Dimorphos images on 25 November. The mission will reveal how a real planetary defence test changed an asteroid, giving scientists vital data for deflecting any dangerous object that might someday threaten Earth.