‘’Why did the Dinosaurs die, because they had no space
programs’’.
The Double asteroid redirection test [DART] is a NASA
space mission aimed at TESTING a method for
preventing destructive impact events from NEAR
EARTH OBJECTS [NEO]. This mission is targeted at the
non-threat near-earth binary asteroid system 65803
didymos. while Didymos is the primary body with 780 m
across, it is orbited by Dimorphos which is 160 m
across (which is typically the size of asteroids that
could pose a significant threat to Earth). The notable
thing about DART is, it is the first demonstration of
KINETIC IMPACTOR TECHNIQUE to change the motion of
the asteroid in space by transference of momentum.
The 610 kg spacecraft is missioned to crash on
Dimorphos with a speed of 6.6 km/s. The collision is
predicted to change the speed of Dimorphos in its orbit
around Didymos by a fraction of 1%, but this will change
its orbital period by several minutes – enough to be
observed and measured using Earth-based telescopes,
and this data can be further used in the future planetary
defense missions. The spacecraft is equipped with RollOut Solar Arrays (ROSA) which provides the solar
power needed for its electric propulsion system and an
onboard navigation camera [DRACO] which helps in
proper impact. The spacecraft was launched on 24
November 2021, with a collision slated for 26
September 2022.