Asteroid’s orbit altered in Nasa’s first test of planetary defence system
An illustration of Nasa’s Dart spacecraft prior to impact at the Didymos binary system. Picture: NASA/JOHNS HOPKINGS APL/STEVE GRIBBEN/REUTERS
“This is a watershed moment for planetary defence and a watershed moment for humanity,” Nelson told reporters in announcing the results. The $330m proof-of-concept Dart mission, which was seven years in development, also marked the world’s first test of a planetary defence system designed to prevent a potential doomsday meteorite collision with Earth.
The aim was to fly the Dart impactor vehicle — no bigger than a vending machine — directly into Dimorphos at about 22,531km/h, creating enough force to shift the moonlet’s orbital track closer to its larger companion.