NASA's Galileo probe made a historic flyby of asteroid 243 Ida, a member of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, providing unrivaled images and data. This encounter, occurring as part of the Galileo mission focused on Jupiter and its environment, saw the spacecraft approach Ida closely, revealing intricate details of its surface and, most notably, its own moon, which was later named Dactyl. The flyby occurred at a distance of roughly 3,000 kilometers, allowing for high-resolution imaging and analysis of both the asteroid and its companion moon.

The findings from this flyby were groundbreaking, as they marked the first time a moon was conclusively discovered orbiting an asteroid. The images captured during this encounter detailed Dactyl's size, shape, and position relative to Ida, prompting scientists to consider the dynamic interplay of small celestial bodies in the asteroid belt. Dactyl's existence challenged previous assumptions about the solitary nature of asteroids, highlighting that many may have complex satellite systems.

The importance of the mission extended beyond the discovery itself. It influenced future astronomical research and observations of asteroids, as it provided a new framework for understanding their formation and evolution. As a direct result of the Galileo flyby, missions aimed at asteroid exploration incorporated the knowledge gained from this encounter, paving the way for future missions such as NEAR Shoemaker and the OSIRIS-REx mission, which ultimately culminated in a better understanding of near-Earth objects and the early solar system.