{"id":779236,"date":"2024-03-20T11:13:59","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T16:13:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=779236"},"modified":"2024-03-20T11:13:59","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T16:13:59","slug":"dart-impact-altered-dimorphos-orbit-and-shape-proving-asteroid-deflection-technique-viable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=779236","title":{"rendered":"DART impact altered Dimorphos\u2019 orbit and shape, proving asteroid deflection technique viable"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>On September 26, 2022, NASA\u2019s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission made history by intentionally colliding with the asteroid Dimorphos, significantly altering both its orbital period and physical shape. This is the first time humanity has purposefully altered the motion of a celestial object, as well as the first full-scale demonstration of asteroid deflection technology.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>This demonstration confirmed the viability of a kinetic impactor as a method for asteroid deflection.<\/li>\n<li>Recent findings detail transformative effects on Dimorphos, previously a symmetrical \u201coblate spheroid,\u201d now reshaped into a \u201ctriaxial ellipsoid\u201d and its orbit around the larger asteroid Didymos notably shortened.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>On September 26, 2022, DART successfully impacted Dimorphos, an asteroid measuring approximately 170 m (558 feet) in width, which orbits the larger near-Earth asteroid Didymos. Now, a new study published in the Planetary Science Journal has confirmed the impact has changed not only the motion of the asteroid, but also its shape.<\/p>\n<p>The mission marked humanity\u2019s first deliberate attempt to alter the motion of a celestial body, marking a significant advance in our capability to protect Earth from potential asteroid impacts.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"perfmatters-lazy-youtube\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i4T808jGQRI\" data-id=\"i4T808jGQRI\" data-query=\"feature=oembed\" onclick=\"perfmattersLazyLoadYouTube(this);\">\n<div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-perfmatters-preload=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/i4T808jGQRI\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"YouTube video\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" nopin=\"nopin\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"DART hits asteroid Dimorphos in the world\u2019s first planetary defense technology demonstration\" width=\"1110\" height=\"624\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i4T808jGQRI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"DART hits asteroid Dimorphos in the world\u2019s first planetary defense technology demonstration\" width=\"1110\" height=\"624\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i4T808jGQRI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Before the impact, Dimorphos was characterized by its oblate spheroid shape, resembling a squashed ball, with a clearly defined, circular orbit around Didymos at a distance of about 1 189 m (3 900 feet). The collision has resulted in notable changes to both its orbit and shape. <\/p>\n<p>The findings were presented in a new study, leveraging data from DART\u2019s spacecraft images, the Goldstone Solar System Radar, and ground telescope observations of light curves.<\/p>\n<p>The study shows that the orbital path of Dimorphos became more eccentric and that the asteroid also exhibits a rocking motion as it orbits Didymos. This detailed analysis was made possible by the precise timing of light-curve dips observed during mutual events between Didymos and Dimorphos.<\/p>\n<p>According to Shantanu Naidu, a navigation engineer at NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and lead of the study, the orbital period of Dimorphos has been reduced by 33 minutes and 15 seconds, and the asteroid now presents a triaxial ellipsoid shape, significantly diverging from its prior symmetry.<\/p>\n<p>Following the impact, Dimorphos\u2019s orbital period experienced an immediate reduction, indicating a closer average distance to Didymos. <\/p>\n<p>The final measurements suggest Dimorphos now orbits Didymos at about 1 152 m (3 779 feet), closer by approximately 37 m (121.4 feet) than before the collision.<\/p>\n<p>This finding is corroborated by the debris analysis post-impact, suggesting Dimorphos\u2019s composition as a \u201crubble pile,\u201d similar to that of asteroid Bennu. <\/p>\n<p>The upcoming European Space Agency\u2019s Hera mission will conduct detailed surveys of both Dimorphos and Didymos, with a particular focus on the crater left by DART\u2019s collision and a precise measurement of Dimorphos\u2019 mass.<\/p>\n<p>References:<\/p>\n<p><sup>1<\/sup> NASA Study: Asteroid\u2019s Orbit, Shape Changed After DART Impact \u2013 NASA \u2013 March 19, 2024<\/p>\n<p><sup>2<\/sup> Orbital and Physical Characterization of Asteroid Dimorphos Following the DART Impact \u2013 Naidu et al. \u2013 2024 Planet. Sci. J.\u00a05\u00a074 \u2013 DOI\u00a010.3847\/PSJ\/ad26e7 <\/p>\n<p class=\"has-theme-palette-6-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d16737f16d4f1b1c27b2b9ba875b48f3\"><em>Featured image: Illustration showing the approximate shape change that the asteroid Dimorphos experienced after DART hit it. Before impact, left, the asteroid was shaped like a squashed ball; after impact it took on a more elongated shape, like a watermelon. Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech <\/em><\/p>\n<p><!-- [element-170997] --><\/p>\n<div class=\"ultp-shortcode\" data-postid=\"170999\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-tabs alignnone\">\n<div class=\"kt-tabs-wrap kt-tabs-id170999_5cb0a9-ac kt-tabs-has-3-tabs kt-active-tab-1 kt-tabs-layout-tabs kt-tabs-tablet-layout-accordion kt-tabs-mobile-layout-accordion kt-tab-alignment-center kt-create-accordion\">\n<div class=\"kt-tabs-content-wrap\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-tab kt-tab-inner-content kt-inner-tab-1 kt-inner-tab_bb21d2-0d\">\n<div class=\"kt-tab-inner-content-inner\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-post-list-3 ultp-block-924ff4\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-items-wrap ultp-block-row ultp-block-column-1 ultp-block-content-middle ultp-layout1\">\n<section class=\"ultp-block-item ultp-block-media post-id-181309\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content-wrap\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content\">\n<h3 class=\"ultp-block-title \">Study confirms no risk of asteroid Apophis being redirected toward Earth by other asteroids<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"ultp-block-date\">Wednesday, March 6, 2024<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ultp-block-item ultp-block-media post-id-177103\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content-wrap\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content\">\n<h3 class=\"ultp-block-title \">Asteroid Polyhymnia\u2019s density beyond known elements<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"ultp-block-date\">Sunday, October 22, 2023<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ultp-block-item ultp-block-media post-id-167350\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content-wrap\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content\">\n<h3 class=\"ultp-block-title \">Large potentially hazardous asteroid detected hiding in Sun\u2019s glare \u2013 2022 AP7<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"ultp-block-date\">Wednesday, November 2, 2022<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ultp-block-item ultp-block-media post-id-166668\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content-wrap\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content\">\n<h3 class=\"ultp-block-title \">DART successfully altered the orbit of asteroid Dimorphos<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"ultp-block-date\">Wednesday, October 12, 2022<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ultp-block-item ultp-block-media post-id-166292\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content-wrap\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content\">\n<h3 class=\"ultp-block-title \">DART hits asteroid Dimorphos in the world\u2019s first planetary defense technology demonstration<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"ultp-block-date\">Tuesday, September 27, 2022<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ultp-block-item ultp-block-media post-id-57182\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content-wrap\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content\">\n<h3 class=\"ultp-block-title \">Situational awareness for potentially hazardous comets last near-Earth as far back as 4 000 years ago<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"ultp-block-date\">Friday, May 21, 2021<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ultp-block-item ultp-block-media post-id-57067\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content-wrap\">\n<div class=\"ultp-block-content\">\n<h3 class=\"ultp-block-title \">Venus\u2019 ionosphere undergoes puzzling changes over the 11-year solar cycle<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"ultp-block-date\">Monday, May 3, 2021<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- [\/element-170997] --><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/watchers.news\/2024\/03\/20\/dart-impact-altered-dimorphos-orbit-and-shape-proving-asteroid-deflection-technique-viable\/?rand=772151\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On September 26, 2022, NASA\u2019s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission made history by intentionally colliding with the asteroid Dimorphos, significantly altering both its orbital period and physical shape. This&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":779237,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-779236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-genaero"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/779236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=779236"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/779236\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/779237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=779236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=779236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=779236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}