NASA’s DART spacecraft makes impact on asteroid Dimorphos, causing it to change shape
In a groundbreaking test conducted by NASA in September 2022, the Double Asteroid Redirect Test (DART) spacecraft successfully crashed into the asteroid Dimorphos, altering its orbit and potentially changing its shape.
The impact of the spacecraft was so powerful that it knocked Dimorphos out of its original orbit, releasing large amounts of dust and loose rock into space. Images captured by NASA’s Hubble and Webb space telescopes show the dramatic aftermath of the collision.
Recent research suggests that Dimorphos is now “healing” from the impact, with new simulations indicating a potential reshaping of the asteroid. According to a paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the European Space Agency’s Hera mission to the impact site may reveal a reshaped asteroid, rather than a clear crater.
The study, led by planetary scientist Sabina Raducan of the University of Bern in Switzerland, indicates that Dimorphos may have formed from loose rocks shed by its larger asteroid, Didymos, over a period of days to years. This could mean that other similar asteroid moons could also easily reshape and have relatively young surfaces.
The research results provide valuable insights into the formation and characteristics of binary asteroid systems, as well as potential information for future asteroid deflection missions. NASA’s DART spacecraft has proven successful in altering the trajectory of potentially hazardous space rocks, showcasing the importance of such missions in planetary defense.
As scientists continue to study the impact and aftermath of the DART spacecraft on Dimorphos, the potential for future asteroid deflection and steering tasks remains a significant area of interest in planetary science and space exploration.