Hera's Mars Flyby: A Close Encounter with Deimos

The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft had a close encounter with Mars' moon Deimos. This happened during a flyby on March 12, 2025. The spacecraft was on its way to study the asteroid Dimorphos. This asteroid was previously impacted by NASA's DART mission in 2022. The flyby allowed Hera to test its science instruments for the first time. The spacecraft captured a near-infrared image of Mars and Deimos using its Hyperscout H hyperspectral imager. Deimos is a small moon, only 7. 7 miles wide. It orbits Mars at a distance of about 14, 600 miles. The image captured by Hera shows Deimos in silhouette against Mars. The bright Terra Sabaea region of Mars is visible behind Deimos. This region is close to Mars' equator. Other notable features in the image include the Huygen and Schiaparelli craters, as well as the Hellas Basin. The Hellas Basin is one of the largest impact craters in the solar system.

The Hyperscout H hyperspectral imager used by Hera can view targets in 25 visible and near-infrared spectral bands. This allows it to better characterize surface materials. Deimos is tidally locked, meaning the same side of the moon always faces Mars. This makes the side seen in the image rarely visible from Earth. The image provides a unique perspective on Deimos and Mars. It also demonstrates the capabilities of Hera's science instruments. The flyby was a success for the Hera mission. It provided valuable data and tested the spacecraft's instruments. The mission continues to gather data about the asteroid Dimorphos.

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