ESAs Hera Mission Returns First Close-Up Images of Dimorphos Asteroid
Summary: ESAs Hera asteroid mission returned the first close-up images of Dimorphos on July 26, 2026, providing new scientific data about the DART impact site.
On July 26, 2026, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced that its Hera asteroid probe has successfully transmitted the first batch of close-up high-resolution images of the asteroid Dimorphos. The images provide unprecedented detail, clearly revealing the surface topography of this small moonlet, including the impact crater left by NASAs DART mission in 2022 and the surrounding terrain changes caused by the collision.
The Hera mission was launched in October 2024 as ESAs follow-up to NASAs DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission. On September 26, 2022, the DART spacecraft intentionally struck Dimorphos at approximately 6 kilometers per second, successfully altering its orbital period around the parent asteroid Didymos and validating the kinetic impactor technique for planetary defense. The primary objective of the Hera mission is to conduct a detailed survey of the aftermath of that impact, gathering precise data on crater dimensions, the asteroids internal structure, and orbital changes.
The latest images released by ESA show that the Hera spacecraft has entered its close-range observation phase of Dimorphos. The new imagery reveals detailed geomorphology of the DART impact site, with the craters scale and morphology providing scientists with critical evidence for assessing how the kinetic impact affected the asteroids overall structure. These data will help refine planetary defense models and lay a scientific foundation for addressing potential near-Earth object threats in the future.
Over the coming months, the Hera mission is expected to continue multi-dimensional observations of Dimorphos and its parent body Didymos. The probes suite of scientific instruments will systematically measure the asteroids mass, density, internal structure, and surface mineral composition. Full scientific results are anticipated to be formally published by ESA following subsequent data processing and analysis.