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NASA’s DART mission hits asteroid in first-ever planetary defence test

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test spacecraft beamed back its final moments before colliding with the asteroid Dimorphos in an attempt to change its orbit, and the collision was captured by telescopes on Earth

Our Web Desk Published 27.09.22, 05:00 PM
An illustration showing Dart spacecraft headed to crash on asteroid Dimorphos
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An illustration showing Dart spacecraft headed to crash on asteroid Dimorphos

Twitter/@NASASCaN
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The DART mission launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California in November 2021
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The DART mission launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California in November 2021

Twitter: NASA
Dart's navigation system first had to distinguish the smaller rock (Dimorphos) from the larger one (Didymos)
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Dart's navigation system first had to distinguish the smaller rock (Dimorphos) from the larger one (Didymos)

NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Asteroid moonlet Dimorphos as seen by the DART spacecraft 11 seconds before impact. DART’s on board DRACO imager captured this image from a distance of 42 miles (68 kilometers). This image was the last to contain all of Dimorphos in the field of view. Dimorphos is roughly 525 feet (160 meters) in length. Dimorphos’ north is toward the top of the image.
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Asteroid moonlet Dimorphos as seen by the DART spacecraft 11 seconds before impact. DART’s on board DRACO imager captured this image from a distance of 42 miles (68 kilometers). This image was the last to contain all of Dimorphos in the field of view. Dimorphos is roughly 525 feet (160 meters) in length. Dimorphos’ north is toward the top of the image.

NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
The LICIACube spacecraft, which photographed the DART mission’s collision with the asteroid Dimorphos, captured the planet Earth with its camera on September 21
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The LICIACube spacecraft, which photographed the DART mission’s collision with the asteroid Dimorphos, captured the planet Earth with its camera on September 21

NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
The final image from DART, taken at a distance of 12 km and 2 seconds before impact. The image shows part of the asteroid Dimorphos about 31 metre across
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The final image from DART, taken at a distance of 12 km and 2 seconds before impact. The image shows part of the asteroid Dimorphos about 31 metre across

Twitter: NASA
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