Specifically, they will examine the ejecta produced and measure Dimorphos’ “orbital change to determine how effectively DART deflected the asteroid.” This information will be used to help assess future planetary defense scenarios and improve computer modeling used to predict the effectiveness of this technique as a way of deflecting asteroids. Additionally, a global team is using dozens of telescopes stationed around the world and in space to observe the asteroid system. NASA scientists must examine the data to determine how much Dimorphos’ momentum was changed by the hit. Just a small change in its speed is all we need to make a significant difference in the path an asteroid travels.” “Now we know we can aim a spacecraft with the precision needed to impact even a small body in space. “Planetary defense is a globally unifying effort that affects everyone living on Earth,” Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, said. Coupled with enhanced capabilities to accelerate finding the remaining hazardous asteroid population by our next Planetary Defense mission, the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor, a DART successor could provide what we need to save the day.”ĭART is “the world’s first planetary defense technology demonstration.” According to NASA, planetary defense is “applied planetary science to address the NEO impact hazard.” These NEOs are objects like asteroids or comets that orbit the Sun, but their orbits can bring them too close to Earth, or within 30 million miles of Earth’s orbit. “This demonstrates we are no longer powerless to prevent this type of natural disaster. “DART’s success provides a significant addition to the essential toolbox we must have to protect Earth from a devastating impact by an asteroid,” Lindley Johnson, NASA’s planetary defense officer said. After successfully hitting the asteroid, the DART mission demonstrates that in theory if an asteroid was projected to hit Earth, the asteroid may be able to be moved before it becomes a major threat. NASA performed the test hit to see how it affects the motion of the asteroid in space.

The 1,260-pound DART spacecraft was launched in November 2021 and hit Dimorphos-which does not pose a threat to Earth-at approximately 14,000mph while seven million miles away from Earth. It successfully hit asteroid moonlet Dimorphos-a 530-foot diameter asteroid, or just about as tall as the Washington Monument, that orbits larger asteroid Didymos-a little after 7 p.m. NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, is the agency’s first attempt to move an asteroid in space. On Monday night, NASA demonstrated that humans may have a defense against asteroids hitting Earth.

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