NASA’s asteroid-deflection mission, DART, successfully demonstrated its ability to deflect an asteroid in orbit around the Earth, but a new analysis reveals that the technique has complications.
The DART spacecraft collided with the 558-foot-wide asteroid Dimorphos on September 26, 2022, and the impact shortened the asteroid’s orbit by about 32 minutes. However, the mission also revealed two large boulders were ejected into space, which imparted additional momentum to the asteroid, changing its trajectory.
The analysis suggests that these boulders, which ranged in size from 1.3 to 23.6 feet, flew away in two distinct clusters and carried more than three times the momentum of the DART spacecraft. This finding highlights the complexity of asteroid deflection and emphasizes the need for a better understanding of asteroid surfaces.
According to NASA scientists, the boulders ejected by the DART impact likely originated from two large boulders on Dimorphos, which were pulverized by the spacecraft’s solar panels before the main body struck the asteroid. The southern cluster of ejection contains 70% of the rocks and was moving at high velocities.
The European Space Agency’s Hera mission will follow up on DART in 2026 to confirm these changes and learn more about the effects of asteroid deflection. However, the upcoming mission must be aware of potential debris produced by the DART impact that could pose an impact hazard to the spacecraft.
This study demonstrates the importance of considering all variables when planning asteroid-deflection missions, as a single factor can significantly affect the outcome. NASA’s efforts to deflect asteroids will play a crucial role in protecting our planet from potentially hazardous objects.
Source: https://www.space.com/astronomy/asteroids/nasas-asteroid-crash-earth-defense-tactic-has-a-complication-dart-ejected-large-boulders-into-space