Spacecraft's impact changed asteroid's orbit around the sun in a save-the-Earth test, study finds
AP News • • science
Key Points:
- NASA's Dart spacecraft successfully altered the orbit of asteroid Dimorphos, marking the first deliberate change to a celestial body's solar orbit, which could inform future asteroid deflection efforts.
- The impact reduced Dimorphos' orbit around its larger companion Didymos by 0.15 seconds, shortening their 300-million-mile orbit by approximately 720 meters.
- The momentum change was amplified by debris ejected during the collision, doubling the effect of the spacecraft's impact.
- Earth remains safe from this asteroid system, which was intentionally chosen for the mission to test planetary defense techniques without posing a threat.
- Further analysis is expected from the upcoming European Space Agency's Hera mission, which will conduct detailed surveys of the asteroid pair starting
