ESA hands over its Hera probe to enthusiasts for software tests 150 million km from Earth

The European Space Agency has invited developers to test their own software on a real spacecraft in deep space. The experiments will take place aboard the Hera probe, which is currently heading for the binary asteroid Didymos–Dimorphos and is expected to arrive this autumn.

The spacecraft was launched in 2024 to study the aftermath of NASA's DART probe crashing into Dimorphos. The data collected is expected to provide a clearer picture of how effective a direct impact is at altering an asteroid's orbit and help refine this technique for future planetary defense missions.

Once the primary mission wraps up in mid-2027, Hera will turn into a test laboratory. At that point, the probe will be roughly 150 million kilometers from Earth, making it a convenient platform for validating software under real deep-space conditions.

ESA is accepting proposals through a dedicated form on its website. Priority goes to technologies with breakthrough potential, particularly AI-based solutions for improving spacecraft autonomy, automatic image analysis, and other tasks.