NASA Spacecraft to Smash into Asteroid in Test of Planetary Defense System

[staarker]

In an effort to ensure that humanity does not suffer the same fate as the dinosaurs, a planetary defense system developed by NASA will culminate this evening when a spacecraft smashes into an asteroid in the hopes of sending the space rock in a different direction. The ambitious endeavor, known as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), reportedly centers around a solar panel-powered rectangular craft that was deployed by a SpaceX rocket in May of 2021 and sent 7 million miles towards the asteroid Didymos as well as its moonlet Dimorphos. If all goes according to plan, DART will collide with the latter space rock shortly after 7 PM (EDT) this evening in a first-of-its-kind planetary defense mission.

The purpose of DART is to test the longstanding theory that a catastrophic asteroid strike to our planet could be prevented by altering the trajectory of such a space rock via human intervention. This general concept has been employed in an array of disaster films and science fiction works to varying degrees of success over the years, though whether such a tactic would work has always been a matter of conjecture among scientists. Beyond the ultimate goal of changing the direction of Dimorphos, the space agency says that simply making contact with the moonlet is a sizable challenge because the asteroid measures a mere 560 feet in diameter and will not even be visible to DART's camera until about an hour before the scheduled impact.
https://www.coasttocoastam.com/article/ ... se-system/

[ricky1874]

This is amazing. I don't think people really realize that there are many extinction size objects that come close to hitting Earth each year. It's about time we stepped up to do something about it.

[jasmine]

Are they getting ideas from Hollywood movies? A lot of things shown in the movies are becoming realities these days. It is interesting that NASA is developing an interplanetary defense system. However, the sad reality of our world is more than 25 percent of the global population cannot even eat two courses of meals.

[jeremydeth]

Is this just the US doing this with NASA or are there other nations involved with it too? This seems like something that the whole world should be involved with. I mean, doesn't everyone have a vested interest in preserving all life on Earth.

[mr_iqman]

Maybe people would take an extinction size meteor hitting the Earth more seriously if things like that were reported more on the news than the typical garbage that's reported. Life on Earth as we know it could literally end at anytime if a large space object was to hit Earth. Hopefully more countries will get involved and offer more money and resources.

[alien_head]

This is a great idea, probably one of the greatest ideas ever. But I wonder, are they only going to fire just one aircraft at the object? Or do they have plans to fire many at it. Because, what if the first one misses. I think it would be better to fire multiple craft at the object at once. That way we will have a greater chance at hitting it.