Hollywood has lengthy theorized that the way in which to cease an asteroid from crashing into the earth is to ship a missile into area to destroy it. Nicely, both that or ship a crew of oil drillers that features Bruce Willis, Steve Buscemi and Michael Clark Duncan. Now NASA is testing the idea (the missile one, not the oil drillers).
On Monday, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Check (DART) will see if we’re capable of defend ourselves in opposition to asteroids or comets which are on a high-speed trajectory in the direction of earth. The 19-meter spacecraft can be crashed, intentionally, into Dimorphos, which is about twice as excessive because the Empire State Constructing and 525 ft vast. It presently circles a bigger asteroid referred to as Didymos.
The aim, say scientists, isn’t to blow the asteroid up, however moderately to vary its velocity and path (which can be measured utilizing telescopes on earth). DART launched in November 2021. Affect with Dimorphs is predicted to happen Monday, Sept. 26, at 7:14 p.m. ET.
Higher nonetheless: We’ll be capable to watch this outer area check crash dummy. On Sept. 16, DART launched a smaller spacecraft it was carrying, referred to as LICIACube. That craft will movie the collision and particles.
It would sound a bit foolish to some, however NASA notes that there are roughly 25,000 massive (500 ft or greater) asteroids which are close to the earth. And so they need to have a contingency plan in place, ought to one in every of them find yourself on a collision course, so we don’t go the way in which of the dinosaurs. China is engaged on the same program.
Wish to watch DART sq. off in opposition to an interstellar intruder? Right here’s how.
When will DART crash into the asteroid?
The spacecraft will influence the Dimorphos asteroid on Monday Sept. 26. NASA expects the influence will happen at 7:14 p.m. ET, however protection will start at 5:30 p.m. ET.
The place can I watch the rocket crash into the asteroid?
NASA is doing blanket protection on all of its properties, together with NASA TV. In case your cable/satellite tv for pc supplier doesn’t carry that channel, you possibly can watch on:
Does this asteroid pose any menace to earth presently?
No. NASA made it clear in August that the asteroid on which they’re testing DART poses no menace to earth.
When will we all know if crashing a rocket into an asteroid had any impact?
At 8:00 p.m. ET on Monday, NASA will host a post-impact press briefing, the place officers will focus on the mission.
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