Researchers have outlined how deflecting the orbit of the asteroid known as DART would work, a topic highlighted by the University of Maryland. The mission, launched in November 2021, aimed to demonstrate Earth’s capability to alter an asteroid’s path through a kinetic impact. In tandem, a small spacecraft achieved rendezvous with the near-Earth binaries Didymos and its moon Dimorphos, measuring a diameter of about 780 meters for Didymos and 160 meters for Dimorphos. The collision targeted the smaller body, Dimorphos, at roughly 6.6 kilometers per hour and marked a significant real-world test of deflection technology. [Citation: University of Maryland]
Team members including Derek Richardson and colleagues sought to quantify how effective this impact would be. They found that the trajectory shift observed in the system surpassed initial expectations, suggesting that a single hit could not fully explain the change. Analysis revealed that DART ejected a substantial quantity of material from the asteroid, creating a debris plume within the regime of Dimorphos. The loose nature of the asteroid’s fragments amplified this effect, producing a jet-like stream of rock fragments that extended beyond a simple impact. [Citation: mission researchers]
According to the researchers, the amount of ejecta from the collision made Dimorphos move about 3.5 times more efficiently than it would have if it had been struck by the spacecraft alone. Calculations indicated that Dimorphos’ 12-hour rotation around Didymos should have shortened by about 10 minutes, yet measurements showed a reduction of approximately 30 minutes. This result demonstrates the complexity involved in predicting the exact outcome of an asteroid impact, a critical factor when considering any potential planetary defense strategy. [Citation: mission analysis team]
These findings contribute to the ongoing discussion about how best to model the physics of asteroid deflection, highlighting the need for robust simulations that account for material properties, fragmentation behavior, and the distribution of ejecta. They underscore that real-world results can diverge from simplified calculations, reinforcing the importance of continued experiments and data collection in the field of planetary defense. [Citation: space science community]
Earlier work pointed to discoveries within larger asteroids such as Ryugu, where scientists found some of the oldest material in the solar system remains, offering context for understanding how small bodies respond to impacts and evolve over time. [Citation: asteroid research publications]