Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) - UPSC Notes | Testbook.com

Unveiling the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART)

The DART mission stands as the world’s first demonstration of planetary defence technology. Its primary aim is to safeguard our planet from potential collisions with extraterrestrial particles. Orchestrated by NASA, the mission was launched onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

• Dimorphos, the target of the DART mission, is a smaller asteroid orbiting a larger one named Didymos. The DART mission has successfully altered the orbital period of Dimorphos, ensuring it stays on its intended path. The European Space Agency plans to send the Hera probe to Dimorphos in 2024 for further observation.

Understanding Planetary Defence

The solar system is home to a variety of objects ranging from minuscule particles to large rocky bodies. These celestial bodies could potentially cause significant damage to Earth if they collide with it during their revolution around the sun. As a result, global efforts are in place to protect our planet from these potential threats. Planetary defence is a collaborative effort by the scientific community worldwide to track and neutralize any object that could pose a threat to Earth. The DART mission is a product of these efforts.

Source: The Hindu

Image: The DART Mission

Delving into the DART Mission

• The DART mission is the first of its kind aimed at researching and demonstrating a method of asteroid deflection by altering an asteroid’s motion in space through kinetic impact.
• The DART spacecraft was equipped with a high-resolution DRACO (Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation) camera, which observed the collision and its aftermath. DRACO's real-time imagery will aid in the precise study of the object.
• The impact of DART with Dimorphos exhibits a feasible mitigation technique for protecting Earth from a potential asteroid or comet threat.
• Ground-based telescopes will monitor the mission's success in altering the asteroid's trajectory.
• The spacecraft is cost-effective and uses a two solar array and hydrazine propellant for navigation.
• In addition to DRACO, the spacecraft also carried a small satellite, LICIAcube, which captured images of the impact crater formed by the collision.