How is DART different from NASA's other asteroid missions?

NASA, which has sent countless missions to asteroids and comets among or such objects in , on Wednesday, 24 vember, launched first-of-its-kind DART Mission. A X Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) craft blasted off from Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Force Base in California at 11:50 AM IST. re are many sts in unique mission which will finally have its showdown in September 2022 when DART would impact an asteroid system to help scientists derive how Earth can be prevented from getting hit by hazardous objects. 

How is DART Mission different from or asteroid missions?

One of many reasons why DART remains different from all or NASA mission sent into objects in is that it would be first mission to test techlogies for preventing an impact of Earth by a hazardous asteroid. While or missions to asteroids have successfully revealed some insights about how planets are me and origin of Earth, DART Mission would be first to demonstrate planetary defence technique which is kwn as kinetic impact. 

While threat from asteroid impacts remains small, it is still real and preventable. data derived through missions such as DART would be a significant boom to scientists’ kwledge about how se dangers can be avoided. Planetary Society reportedly works on improving asteroid detection and reconnaissance, mature deflection techlogies and developing global response strategies. DART, first mission to test any asteroid deflection technique, will arrive at near-Earth asteroid Didymos in September 2022.

Without slowing down, DART craft will intentionally crash into an asteroid’s small moon called Dimorphos. This crash between Dimorphos and craft should change time it takes small moon takes to orbit Didymos which should furr prove that kinetic impactor technique works. 

Asteroids are basically left-over building blocks of Solar System and in a rare occurrence in , rock’s path around sun crosses with Earth’s orbit, causing both objects to intersect. DART is also carrying a camera called Draco that will provide ims of both objects and help craft point itself in correct direction to collide with Dimorphos. 

Mostly, or NASA missions have explored different asteroids in and collected materials or are just flyby missions around multiple such objects. Apart from previous missions sent to asteroids, comets or or such structures, upcoming missions by US ncy are also planned to by flybys, or to explore planetary cores by studying metallic asteroid such as 16 Psyche. 

(IM: NASA)