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This marks humanity\u2019s first time purposely changing the motion of a celestial object and the first full-scale demonstration of asteroid deflection technology.<\/p>\n
After 10 months of flying in space, Nasa\u2019s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), the world\u2019s first planetary defence technology demonstration, successfully impacted its asteroid target called Dimorphos last month, the agency\u2019s first attempt to move an asteroid in space.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis mission shows that Nasa is trying to be ready for whatever the universe throws at us. Nasa has proven we are serious as a defender of the planet,\u201d said agency Administrator Bill Nelson.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a watershed moment for planetary defence and all of humanity, demonstrating commitment from Nasa\u2019s exceptional team and partners from around the world,\u201d Nelson said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Prior to DART\u2019s impact, it took Dimorphos 11 hours and 55 minutes to orbit its larger parent asteroid, Didymos.<\/p>\n
Now, the investigation team has confirmed the spacecraft\u2019s impact altered Dimorphos\u2019 orbit around Didymos by 32 minutes, shortening the 11 hour and 55-minute orbit to 11 hours and 23 minutes.<\/p>\n
This measurement has a margin of uncertainty of approximately plus or minus 2 minutes.<\/p>\n
Before its encounter, Nasa had defined a minimum successful orbit period change of Dimorphos as change of 73 seconds or more.<\/p>\n
The early data show DART surpassed this minimum benchmark by more than 25 times. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis result is one important step toward understanding the full effect of DART\u2019s impact with its target asteroid,\u201d said Lori Glaze, director of Nasa\u2019s Planetary Science Division at Nasa Headquarters in Washington.<\/p>\n
As new data come in each day, astronomers will be able to better assess whether, and how, a mission like DART could be used in the future to help protect Earth from a collision with an asteroid if we discover one headed our way, Glaze said.<\/p>\n
The investigation team is still acquiring data with ground-based observatories around the world.<\/p>\n
DART has given us some fascinating data about asteroid properties and the effectiveness of a kinetic impactor as a planetary defence technology, said Nancy Chabot, the DART co-ordination lead.<\/p>\n