NASA to crash an unmanned spacecraft against asteroid in a 'defense test'

National Aeronautics and Space ministration’s (NASA) latest project known as Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) aims to do an ultimate 'defensive test’. According to NASA, superlative project is set to demonstrate kinetic impactor technique, which will change motion pattern of an asteroid heing towards Earth. project aims to create an ultimate planetary defence by shifting orbits of such asteroids in space.

NASA to crash an unmanned spacecraft against asteroid

space organisation aims to change an incoming asteroid’s orbit through kinetic impact. NASA is now planning to perform a live demonstration, which will see US space agency sending an unmanned spacecraft. test will be done by launching SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket towards moonlet Didymos from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

unmanned spacecraft will n travel millions of miles entering space and in turn crash against  Didymos asteroid. space agency will also be sending a small spacecraft that will separate from DART to take live pictures of event. pictures will be used to study crash in real-time and understand how it would work in a real-life scenario. ‘defence-driven test’ will be placed intact if successful to prevent any impact of hazardous asteroids on planet in future.

NASA released a statement on ir website to explain how project will work. statement said, “ DART spacecraft will achieve kinetic impact deflection by deliberately crashing itself into moonlet at a speed of approximately 6.6 km/s, with aid of an onboard camera (named DRACO) and sophisticated autonomous navigation software. collision will change speed of moonlet in its orbit around main body by a fraction of one per cent, but this will change orbital period of moonlet by several minutes - enough to be observed and measured using telescopes on Earth.”

highly futuristic project is currently in Phase C at  Marshall Space Flight Center at NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office. While US agency expects launch window to begin on November 2021, SpaceX Falcon 9 is expected to collide against asteroid in September 2022.

IMAGE: PIXABAY/ AP