Space travel Hera sends images of the little-known far side of a Martian moon
Hera, the asteroid defense mission with Swiss participation, has deployed its scientific instruments beyond Earth and the moon for the first time. The instruments of the Hera probe captured images of the Martian moon Deimos.
13.03.2025, 12:00
SDA
The European Space Agency ESA presented the images to the media on Thursday. "This was the first exciting exploration experience for the Hera team," said mission manager Ian Carnelli, according to an ESA statement.
Hera flew past the planet Mars on Wednesday to gain momentum for the rest of its journey. The images taken during the mission arrived on Earth early Thursday morning.
According to the ESA, the images taken by Deimos show the previously little-known rear side of the Martian moon. ESA researchers are hoping to gain new insights into the formation of the moon.
The target of the mission is the asteroid Dimorphos, which was deflected from its orbit by a NASA probe. Researchers from the University of Bern are involved in the mission.
