The main goal of the NASA mission, called DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test), was to check our ability to alter the asteroids trajectory as it orbits its bigger buddy asteroid, Didymos. These three panels catch the separation of the asteroid Dimorphos when it was deliberately struck by NASAs 545-kilogram Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) objective spacecraft on September 26, 2022. The pinwheel is connected to the gravitational pull of the buddy asteroid, Didymos.In the bottom frame, Hubble next catches the particles being swept back into a comet-like tail by the pressure of sunshine on the tiny dust particles. Debris flies away from the asteroid, moving in with a variety of speeds faster than four miles per hour (quickly enough to get away the asteroids gravitational pull, so it does not fall back onto the asteroid). NASA and ESA worked together in the early 2000s to establish asteroid tracking systems, however recognized there was a missing link in the chain between asteroid risk recognition and methods of dealing with that threat.
Hubble captures the particles from the DART impact being swept back into a comet-like tail by the pressure of sunlight on the tiny dust particles. This stretches out into a debris train where the lightest particles travel the fastest and farthest from the asteroid.
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope captured a series of images of quick modifications to the asteroid Dimorphos when it was deliberately hit by a 545-kilogram (1,200-pound) spacecraft on September 26, 2022. The main goal of the NASA mission, called DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test), was to test our ability to alter the asteroids trajectory as it orbits its larger buddy asteroid, Didymos. Though Dimorphos postures no risk to Earth, information from the objective could help inform scientists how to possibly change an asteroids path away from Earth, if ever necessary.
An artists representation of NASAs DART spacecraft flying toward the twin asteroids, Didymos and Dimorphos. The bigger asteroid, Didymos, was found by UArizona Spacewatch in 1996. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
Hubbles resulting time-lapse movie of the consequences of the crash exposes surprising and impressive modifications as dust and portions of debris were flung into space from the injured asteroid. Smashing head-on into the asteroid at 21,000 kilometers per hour (13,000 miles per hour), the DART impactor blasted over 900,000 kgs (2,000,000 pounds) of dust off of the asteroid.
The Hubble movie provides important new ideas into how the particles was distributed into an intricate pattern in the days following the impact.
This motion picture catches the breakup of the asteroid Dimorphos when it was intentionally struck by NASAs 1,200-pound Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) objective spacecraft on September 26, 2022. The Hubble Space Telescope had a ringside view of the area demolition derby. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, and Jian-Yang Li (PSI); Video: Joseph DePasquale (STScI).
The movie reveals three overlapping phases of the aftermath of the crash: the development of an ejecta cone, the spiral swirl of debris caught up along the asteroids orbit about its companion asteroid, and the tail swept behind the asteroid by the pressure of sunlight.
These three panels capture the breakup of the asteroid Dimorphos when it was deliberately struck by NASAs 545-kilogram Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) objective spacecraft on September 26, 2022. The top panel, taken 2 hours after impact, shows an ejecta cone amounting to an estimated 900,000 kgs of dust.The center frame shows the dynamic interaction within the asteroids binary system that starts to distort the cone shape of the ejecta pattern about 17 hours after the effect. The pinwheel is tied to the gravitational pull of the companion asteroid, Didymos.In the bottom frame, Hubble next captures the debris being swept back into a comet-like tail by the pressure of sunshine on the tiny dust particles.
The Hubble film begins at 1.3 hours before effect. In this view both Didymos and Dimorphos are within the main intense spot; even Hubble cant deal with the 2 asteroids individually. The thin, straight spikes predicting far from the center (and seen in later images) are artifacts of Hubbles optics. The first post-impact photo is two hours after the event. Particles flies far from the asteroid, moving in with a variety of speeds faster than four miles per hour (quick enough to get away the asteroids gravitational pull, so it does not fall back onto the asteroid). The ejecta kinds a largely hollow cone with long, stringy filaments.
Annotated variation of the image above. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, J. Li (PSI).
At about 17 hours after the collision the particles pattern entered a second stage. The pinwheel is connected to the gravitational pull of the companion asteroid, Didymos.
Hubble next catches the particles being swept back into a comet-like tail by the pressure of sunshine on the tiny dust particles. This extends out into a particles train where the lightest particles take a trip the fastest and farthest from the asteroid. Hubble also taped the tail splitting in two for a couple of days.
Exact same image as above with extra compass annotations. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, J. Li (PSI).
Due to launch in October 2024, ESAs Hera objective will perform a detailed post-impact study of the target asteroid Dimorphos. Hera will turn the grand-scale experiment into a well-understood and repeatable planetary defense strategy that may one day be used genuine.
Much like Hubble and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, NASAs DART and ESAs Hera objectives are great examples of what global cooperation can achieve; the 2 objectives are supported by the exact same groups of astronomers and researchers, and operate through an international collaboration called AIDA– the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment.
NASA and ESA collaborated in the early 2000s to establish asteroid tracking systems, however acknowledged there was a missing link in the chain in between asteroid hazard identification and ways of attending to that danger. In reaction, NASA supervised the DART mission while ESA developed the Hera objective to collect extra information on DARTs effect. With the Hera mission, ESA is presuming even greater obligation for securing our world and ensuring that Europe plays a leading function in the typical effort to take on asteroid risks. As Europes flagship planetary defender, Hera is supported through the Agencys Space Safety program, part of the Operations Directorate.
