NASA recently conducted a successful asteroid deflection mission, slamming a spaceship into an asteroid about the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza to alter its course. However, the mission has revealed unexpected complexities in redirecting objects in space.
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission successfully redirected the asteroid Dimorphos, but also sent huge boulders flying off from the loosely bound asteroid. A new study analyzing 104 boulders imaged by the Light Italian Cubesat for Imaging of Asteroids has found that they gave a push in unexpected directions.
The team analyzed the distribution of debris and discovered two distinct clusters of ejected objects, with an absence of material elsewhere. These clusters were likely formed from large boulders shattered upon impact with DART’s solar panels. The study suggests that future asteroid deflection missions must take into account these complex dynamics to ensure a successful mission.
The researchers also compared their findings with the Deep Impact mission, which hit a surface composed of small, uniform particles. In contrast, the DART mission hit a rocky and boulder-rich surface, resulting in chaotic ejecta patterns.
A future analysis by the European Space Agency’s Hera mission will provide valuable insights into the asteroid’s response to impacts. The study highlights the importance of considering all variables when planning planetary defense missions.
According to the team, the boulders unleashed by the impact carried more than three times the momentum of the DART spacecraft. This additional factor changes the physics needed for future missions.
Source: https://www.iflscience.com/something-unknown-is-at-work-here-unexpected-results-from-nasa-mission-to-deflect-asteroid-79925