A NASA successfully performed the first test of its planetary defense system. The mission called Dartconsisted of sending a kamikaze spacecraft to collide with the asteroid Dimorphos and change its path. O Hubble Space Telescope recorded a series of photos from the moment of the collision, which took place in September 2022. See below a video released by the American space agency:
Dart Mission: NASA releases images of asteroid after collision
The images compiled into a video show the spacecraft hitting the asteroid at a speed of nearly 20,922 km/hexploding more than 1000 tons of dust and rock. The impact altered the asteroid’s course, pushing it further away from Earth.
The changes to the asteroid were surprising and remarkable, as recorded by Hubble. The debris was flung into space, forming a largely hollow cone with long, fibrous filaments. The images also show rotating pinwheel-shaped features.
See a video from NASA in which it explains in detail the route of the rocket, the asteroid and the result of the mission:
The mission was deemed a success by NASA, who now know they have a viable technique to potentially prevent an asteroid impact in the future. The kamikaze ship was destroyed in the collision, as planned.
The results of the mission were published in the journal Nature, and planetary scientist Terik Daly, author and leader of one of the studies, said the test was “phenomeally successful”. NASA intends to continue improving its planetary defense system to be prepared in case an asteroid comes towards Earth.