The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera mission, tasked with investigating the aftermath of NASA’s DART asteroid impact, has successfully completed its first major maneuver. Hera is now on course for a gravity assist flyby of Mars in 2025, propelling it towards its ultimate target, the asteroid Dimorphos. The mission aims to provide crucial insights into the effects of a spacecraft impact on an asteroid, contributing to our understanding of planetary defense strategies.