Category: Operations

The Hera mission to the binary asteroid system, led by the European Space Agency (ESA) and carrying the Thermal Infrared Imager (TIRI) developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 on October 7, 2024 (JST).1 Following launch, Hera conducted observations of the Earth-Moon system,2 and performed a Mars flyby together with observations of Mars and its moon Deimos in March 2025,3 while continuing its journey toward the binary asteroid system consisting of Didymos and Dimorphos. Beginning in October 2026, Hera executed a series of braking maneuvers and arrived at the binary asteroid system on November 4, 2026 (JST).4 For details of Hera’s upcoming observation and mission operations plan, please refer to this article.5 […]

The Hera spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on 7 October 2024 (JST). On 18 October 2026 (JST), while at a distance of 1,280 km from the target binary asteroid system, Hera captured images of the primary asteroid Didymos and its satellite Dimorphos using the Asteroid Framing Camera (AFC). （Source: https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Hera/First_light_Hera_resolves_two_asteroids_instead_of_one） The Hera spacecraft conducted its second braking maneuver on 22 October 2026 (JST) and is now approaching the Didymos-Dimorphos binary asteroid system at a relative velocity of 20 m/s. Ahead of arrival, final trajectory-correction trim burns are planned for 25, 28, and 31 October (JST). Hera is expected to reach a position 20-30 km from the binary asteroid system on 4 November 2026 (JST). The Hera […]

On March 12, 2025, Hera performed a Mars swing-by that utilized the planet’s gravity to insert the spacecraft onto a trajectory towards the Didymos-Dimorphos binary asteroid system. Hera made its closest approach to Mars at 21:50 JST on March 12. ESA has confirmed that the spacecraft condition is normal and that the Hera spacecraft has been successfully inserted onto the intended trajectory. During the closest approach to Mars, the Hera spacecraft conducted observations of Mars and the Martian moon, Deimos, followed by the second Martian moon, Phobos, using three onboard cameras: the TIRI provided by JAXA, the visible light camera (Asteroid Framing Camera: AFC), and the visible and near-infrared spectroscopic camera (HyperScout-H). Here, we take a look at the images […]

ESA’s asteroid explorer Hera has taken its first images using three of its instruments which will be used to observe and study the binary asteroids Didymos and Dimorphos. Following the successful launch on October 7, 2024, Hera’s onboard instruments were switched on, and initial checks were conducted. From October 10 to 11, the Hera asteroid deck (+Z face) which houses the spacecraft’s instruments was pointed towards Earth, and the instruments successfully captured their first images of Earth and the Moon from distance of 1.4 to1.6 million kilometers. Figure 1: Hera’s asteroid deck. B is the thermal infrared camera TIRI. (©ESA) Thermal Infrared Imager TIRI Hera’s thermal infrared Imager TIRI captured images of Earth and the Moon from approximately 1.4 million […]