Asteroid Retrieval Initiative, NASA, Washington, D.C., USA

**Airicist** · 7th March 2019, 20:13

Asteroid Collision Model Phase 1: Impact

Uploaded on Feb 27, 2019

The first phase of a new asteroid collision model, which shows the processes that begin immediately after an asteroid is hit—processes that occur within fractions of a second.

Asteroid Collision Model Phase 2: Reaccumulation by Gravity

Uploaded on Feb 27, 2019

The second phase of a new asteroid collision model, which shows the effect gravity has on the pieces that fly off an asteroid’s surface after impact. This phase occurs over many hours.

"Asteroids stronger harder destroy previously thought"

by Jack Quann
March 5, 2019

**Airicist** · 4th August 2020, 18:04

DART, NASA's First Planetary Defense Mission

Aug 4, 2020

NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) will be the first ever space mission to demonstrate asteroid deflection by kinetic impactor on a binary asteroid target: the smaller asteroid of Didymos, called Dimorphos.

The DART demonstration has been carefully designed. The impulse of energy that DART delivers to the Didymos binary asteroid system is low and cannot disrupt the asteroid, and Didymos's orbit does not intersect Earth's at any point in current predictions. Furthermore, the change in Dimorphos's orbit is designed to bring its orbit closer to Didymos. The DART mission is a demonstration of capability to respond to a potential asteroid impact threat, should one ever be discovered.

DART is directed by NASA and undertaken by a team led by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory with support from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Johnson Space Center, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Planetary Defense Coordination Office within NASA's Science Mission Directorate is the lead for planetary defense activities and is sponsoring this mission.

DART is planned to intercept the secondary member of the Near-Earth Asteroid Didymos binary system in September 2022.

**Airicist** · 19th October 2021, 05:12

Article "How a Nuclear Bomb Could Save Earth From a Stealthy Asteroid"
An atomic blast is not the preferred solution for planetary defense, but 3-D models are helping scientists prepare for a worst-case scenario.

by Robin George Andrews
October 18, 2021

**Airicist2** · 17th November 2021, 22:39

Launching soon: NASA's first asteroid deflection test

Nov 18, 2021

On Nov. 24, 2021, our Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft will lift off on a ten-month journey to crash into a distant asteroid – on purpose.

As a test of NASA's planetary defense technologies, DART will collide with and slightly change the speed of Dimorphos, a small 'moonlet' orbiting the asteroid Didymos. Dimorphos will be over 6 million miles away at the time of impact and does not pose a threat to Earth, either before or after DART's collision. With nearby satellites and Earth-based telescopes, NASA and our international partners will track DART's effect on Dimorphos and use this data to help protect Earth from future asteroid impact threats.

DART's first launch attempt is scheduled for 1:20 a.m. EST (06:20 UTC) on Nov. 24. Launch coverage starts at 12:30 a.m. EST (05:30 UTC) on NASA TV, the NASA app, and @NASA social media.

**Airicist2** · 23rd November 2021, 01:10

NASA is deliberately smashing into an asteroid to try and save the planet

Nov 22, 2021

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test spacecraft will deliberately crash into a near-Earth asteroid to try and knock it off course. Scientists at NASA and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory hope the DART mission could help us save Earth from a catastrophic impact.

**Airicist2** · 23rd November 2021, 22:38

NASA Science Live: We’re crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid…on purpose!

Streamed live November 24, 2021

What questions do you have about NASA’s #DARTMission? Join our experts Tuesday, Nov. 23 at 4 p.m. EST. NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) launches soon on a journey to become the world’s first #PlanetaryDefense test. The spacecraft will intentionally crash itself into an asteroid to see if it can move its motion in space. If it does, this could be proved as a viable way to deflect a threatening asteroid in the future, should one be discovered.

DART is a spacecraft designed to impact an asteroid as a test of technology. DART’s target asteroid is NOT a threat to Earth. This asteroid system is a perfect testing ground to see if intentionally crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid is an effective way to change its course, should an Earth-threatening asteroid be discovered in the future.

Meet the experts:
Dr. Lori Glaze is the Director for NASA’s Planetary Science Missions. Her favorite part about her job is that she gets to learn something new every day. “The solar system is packed with mysteries, and we have an amazing collection of missions that are working together every day to unlock those mysteries.” Outside of work, Dr. Glaze enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and listening to music.

Dr. Nancy Chabot is the DART Coordination Lead at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Her favorite part about her job is working with a team to accomplish more than any one person could do on their own. Outside of work, Dr. Chabot has been learning to cook new recipes.

Lisa Wu is a Mechanical Engineer at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Her favorite part of her job is that she gets to work with space flight hardware every day. She is most looking forward to not only the science we’ll learn from the DART impact, but also demonstrating the new technologies onboard the spacecraft. In her free time, Lisa has been figure skating.

Stephanie L. Smith is the social media lead at NASA headquarters. Her favorite part of the job is using pop culture and plain English to make science and technology meaningful and relatable to as many people as possible. When she's not hosting conversations about smacking into space rocks, you'll probably find her hiking or cooking.

**Airicist2** · 24th November 2021, 17:19

Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission

Nov 24, 2021

SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, November 23 for Falcon 9’s launch of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The instantaneous launch window is at 10:21 p.m. PST (6:21 UTC on November 24), and a backup opportunity is available on Wednesday, November 24 at 10:20 p.m. PST (6:20 UTC on November 25).

This will be the third flight for this Falcon 9’s first stage booster, which previously supported launch of Sentinel-6A and a Starlink mission. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be located in the Pacific Ocean.

DART is humanity’s first planetary defense test mission to see if intentionally crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid is an effective way to change its course, should an Earth-threatening asteroid be discovered in the future.

**Airicist2** · 24th November 2021, 17:20

NASA DART launch

Nov 24, 2021

NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on 24 November 2021, at 06:21 UTC (23 November, at 22:21 local time - PST). The DART mission is NASA’s demonstration of kinetic impactor technology, impacting an asteroid to adjust its speed and path. DART is scheduled to impact the asteroid Dimorphos, from the binary asteroid system Didymos, in October 2022. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage landed on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, stationed in the Pacific Ocean. Falcon 9’s first stage (B1063) previously supported the launch of Sentinel-6A and a Starlink mission.

**Airicist2** · 24th November 2021, 17:20

NASA DART separation

Nov 24, 2021

NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft successfully separated from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched it from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on 24 November 2021, at 06:21 UTC (23 November, at 22:21 local time – PST). The DART mission is NASA’s demonstration of kinetic impactor technology, impacting an asteroid to adjust its speed and path. DART is scheduled to impact the asteroid Dimorphos, from the binary asteroid system Didymos, in October 2022.