Asteroid Dimorphos
Earth defense mission: NASA probe “Dart” is supposed to throw asteroids out of orbit
An undated graphic shows the NASA probe for the “Dart” mission
© Gribbsp1 // Picture Alliance
NASA launched a test probe on Wednesday that is supposed to divert the asteroid Dimorphos from its orbit. With this, the space agency wants to find out whether the emergency could be prevented in this way.
On Wednesday, November 24th, 2021, the US space agency NASA will launch the test probe “Dart”, which will hit the asteroid Dimorphos in nine months. This should be minimally deflected from its orbit and directed into that of another asteroid. With the test, NASA would like to find out whether this could prevent a dangerous asteroid from striking the earth in an emergency. What is otherwise only known from the movie “Armageddon” becomes reality. You can even watch the spectacle online.
Experiment consists of two parts
The experiment consists of two parts, explains mission engineer Elena Adams to the Heise Online portal. First you will fly to the asteroid. According to n-tv, the probe is to be launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California using a “Falcon 9” rocket from the private space company SpaceX owned by Elon Musk. After launch, the probe is expected to be on the road for nine months and then hit the asteroid in autumn 2022. After that, however, there would be no spacecraft to see what would have happened, says Elena Adams. Then the second part of the experiment begins – but from Earth.
“We will observe the asteroid for a few months with ground-based telescopes. We want to measure the extent to which we have changed the orbit of Dimorphos. To do this, we measure the light curve of the asteroid, i.e. at what intervals the light becomes darker and brighter when it is The moon goes by before darts, “says the scientist.
“Dart” is not worth a movie
“Dart” is “probably not worth an asteroid movie,” says NASA manager Clayton Kachele, according to n-tv. The mission, which cost around 330 million dollars (around 290 million euros), is unmanned and the asteroid is not racing towards earth either. “But it’s great to be able to help protect our planet and future generations,” says Kachele.
For many years, NASA has been considering, also in cooperation with the European Space Agency Esa, how the earth could be protected from approaching asteroids. Currently, according to n-tv, the researchers do not know of any asteroid that could race directly to Earth in the foreseeable future.
Users can interview experts live
NASA is preparing the mission on November 23, 2021 with a panel of experts. Three scientists talk about the darts mission and plans to defend our planet. At the same time, viewers should be able to ask questions via the comment area of the stream or under #AskNASA. NASA will broadcast the event live via Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.
Sources: Heise Online, n-tv, t3n