Hyperdrive
NASA Spacecraft Rams Asteroid, Changes Orbit in Earth Defense Test
- Agency’s DART vehicle slammed into Dimorphos last month
- Successful mission shortened orbit by 32 minutes, NASA says
Dust and debris blasted from the surface of the asteroid Dimorphos by NASA’s DART spacecraft.
Source: CTIO/NOIRLab/SOAR/NSF/AURAThis article is for subscribers only.
NASA says a mission to nudge a distant asteroid off course succeeded, showcasing a potential new method for saving Earth from dangerous space rocks that astronomers might identify in the future.
A NASA spacecraft called DART, which rammed the asteroid last month, was able to alter the trajectory of its moving target, officials at the space agency said Tuesday.