Hera probe gets 1st good luck at asteroid system clobbered by NASA's DART mission | Space photo of the day for Nov. 6, 2026

The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft successfully obtained its initial detailed observation of the Didymos binary asteroid system on November 6, 2026. This marks a significant milestone following NASA’s DART mission which intentionally impacted the smaller asteroid Dimorphos within this system. Scientists are analyzing the data collected to assess the precise effects of the DART impact on Dimorphos' orbit. Initial observations confirm that the Didymos asteroids were directly affected by the DART mission’s collision. Researchers will continue studying the resulting changes in the binary system’s dynamics and composition.