An international team of scientists from Switzerland, Japan, the United States and other nations analyzed the outcomes of NASA’s mission to deflect asteroid Dimorph using the DART probe. The probe not only nudged the space rock off its original trajectory but also altered its shape during the impact, according to the study published by Nature Astronomy. The researchers emphasize that the mission demonstrated a tangible change in the asteroid’s physical form, alongside a measurable shift in its orbit. NatAstro
The DART spacecraft weighed about 580 kilograms, while Dimorph carries an estimated mass of roughly 5 million tons. Experts describe the collision between objects with such unequal masses as similar to an ant striking two buses at once, yet the ant moves at an incredible speed. In this case, the impact occurred at roughly 6 kilometers per second, and the consequences were clearly detectable. NatAstro
Modeling indicates that the impact removed around 20 thousand tons of rock and debris from the surface of Dimorph at the moment of contact. The collision generated a recoil that slowed the asteroid’s motion and extended its orbital period around the asteroid moon Didymos by about 30 minutes. This finding helps scientists understand how kinetic impactors can alter not just speed but the timing of orbital dynamics in small-body systems. NatAstro
The encounter also yielded insights into the internal structure of Dimorph. The data suggest a relatively fragile make-up, composed largely of loosely bound debris rather than a solid, cohesive body. Such a structure has important implications for how material is ejected during impacts and how future deflection or mining missions might interact with similar asteroids. NatAstro
Researchers noted that the ease with which material can be extracted from weakly bound asteroids using impact methods may attract the attention of commercial ventures considering in-space resource extraction in the future. This could influence how companies plan operations, safety protocols, and regulatory frameworks as they explore asteroid mining or other activity in near-Earth space. NatAstro
Additionally, observations revealed that the Dimorph asteroid developed a secondary plume or tail following the DART impact, a phenomenon that provided additional clues about the asteroid’s surface properties and the distribution of material released during the collision. These tail features contribute to a more nuanced picture of how momentum transfer translates into observable changes in shape and orbit. NatAstro