Deimos: A New Perspective on Mars’ Tiniest Moon
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Bucharest — April 22, 2025 —
What new perspectives does the recent flyby of Deimos offer? The European Space Agency’s Hera mission captured a remarkable image of the Martian moon during a gravity assist maneuver. This close encounter allows scientists a rare view of one of the smallest moons in our solar system. Potential uses for Deimos have been proposed,including using its sands for aerobraking large missions to Mars. Stay tuned for more exciting updates.
Deimos: A New Perspective on Mars’ Tiniest moon
While Phobos often steals the spotlight, a recent flyby offers a stunning glimpse of Deimos, the smaller, more distant Martian moon.
Deimos in Detail: An Underdog Story
Deimos, named after the Ancient Greek god that personified dread, is often overlooked in favor of its larger sibling, Phobos.Phobos, with a radius of 11 km and orbiting just over 9,000 km from Mars, is considered a potential waystation for future human missions.
Deimos, in contrast, is a mere 6 km in radius and orbits at a distance of more than 23,000 km.
From the surface of Mars, Deimos would appear only as bright as Venus does from Earth.
Did You know?
Deimos is so small that it would appear only as bright as Venus in the martian night sky.
Despite its diminutive size, scientists have proposed innovative uses for Deimos, including using its sands for aerobraking large missions too Mars and returning samples from the moon.
So maybe Deimos will eventually get its day.
Hera’s Close Encounter: A Rare View
The European Space Agency’s Hera mission, en route to the asteroid Didymos, recently provided one of the best views of Deimos to date.
During a gravity assist maneuver, Hera passed within 300 km of Deimos, capturing a remarkable, albeit artificially colored, image with its Asteroid Framing Camera.
This close encounter offers a rare glimpse at one of the smallest known moons in the Solar System.
Pro Tip
Explore the European Space Agency’s image library for more stunning visuals of space.
Potential Uses for Deimos
- Aerobraking: Using Deimos’ sands for aerobraking large missions to Mars.
- Sample returns: Collecting and returning samples from the moon.
These potential uses could elevate Deimos from a mere footnote to a crucial asset in Martian exploration.
FAQ about Deimos
- How big is Deimos?
- Deimos has a radius of 6 km.
- How far is Deimos from Mars?
- Deimos orbits Mars at a distance of more than 23,000 km.
- Why is Deimos often overlooked?
- Phobos, the larger Martian moon, receives more attention due to its size and proximity to Mars.
- What is the Hera mission?
- The Hera mission is a European Space Agency mission en route to the asteroid Didymos.
