DART

[Michael 345]

DART
For Double Asteroid Redirection Test

https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense/dart/dart-news

This is a plan by NASA to

• crash a space probe into a astroid
• measure how much the crash deflects the astroid
• then if / when an asteroid threatens Earth
• calculate if a space probe could neutralise the threat

DART is self navigating to the astroid and will be sending back images until the crash. NASA will be broadcasting this live in about 2 weeks when the event is due to happen

DART has a hanger-on

• LICIACube
• which will be released
• before impact and
• become a following space probe which will
• hang back
• broadcasting back the result of DART's impact

All this for only $313.9 million

 

[DaveC426913]

Yup.

 

[sideshowbob]

Kamikaze space probe.

 

[Michael 345]

Kamikaze space probe.

If the technique is used in the future to save Earth I vote for a statue of DART be placed on the Moon

 

[Yazata]

They have to figure out something. Bruce Willis might not be available.

Hopefully they broadcast it on nasa-live. They probably will.

I'll definitely be watching.

 

[Michael 345]

Hopefully they broadcast it on nasa-live.

Yes they plan to. We have two weeks to stock up on snacks and drinks before the event (drum roll)

NASA NOW PRESENTS TO YOU OUR $313.9 MILLION BUDGET FEATURE "DESTRUCTION OF DIDYMOS"

 

[Yazata]

NASA is going to crash a spacecraft into an asteroid! On purpose!!

It happens today! Coverage spools up in about two hours from now, whatever time it is wherever you are!

I'm going to be watching!

https://dart.jhuapl.edu/

Their main broadcast goes live at 3 PM PDT/6 PM EDT. I think that this one will feature all kind of scientific talking-heads

[video=youtube]

And I believe that this one is a raw feed from the DART spacecraft's onboard camera. It goes live at 2:30 PM PDT/5:30 PM EDT

[video=youtube]

The DART mission's asteroid-fighting crew

 

[DaveC426913]

Yep. I've had it in my calendar for a month. Looking forward to it.
Thanks for the links.

 

[DaveC426913]

*splot*

 

[Yazata]

 

[Seattle]

It will be interesting to get the data from LiciaCube for photos after the impact but I guess it will take weeks to download that data?

 

[DaveC426913]

Yeah that last frame was great.

 

[parmalee]

You're supposed to shoot them with laser beams, not crash into them.

 

[Michael 345]

You're supposed to shoot them with laser beams, not crash into them.

What would be wrong with dropping a payload of acid to eat down a little into the rock and follow with an explosive mix?

 

[DaveC426913]

You're supposed to shoot them with laser beams, not crash into them.

That's exactly what my son said to me!

 

[DaveC426913]

What would be wrong with dropping a payload of acid to eat down a little into the rock and follow with an explosive mix?

For one, no gravity. So no "down".

Didymos is so small, it's likely not even a solid object. Just a bunch of boulders gently stuck together by its billionth-g gravity.

 

[Michael 345]

For one, no gravity. So no "down".

Didymos is so small, it's likely not even a solid object. Just a bunch of boulders gently stuck together by its billionth-g gravity.

Well take dropping to mean fire a container of acid from a compressed air contraption

Didymos is so small, it's likely not even a solid object. Just a bunch of boulders gently stuck together by its billionth-g gravity.

Even better for the acid to seep between the cracks before the explosive device fires

 

[parmalee]

That's exactly what my son said to me!

Sounds like he might have a quite promising future in the aerospace industry.

 

[DaveC426913]

small

Well take dropping to mean fire a container of acid from a compressed air contraption

Didymos is so small, it's likely not even a solid object. Just a bunch of boulders gently stuck together by its billionth-g gravity.

Even better for the acid to seep between the cracks before the explosive device fires

The idea of blowing up an asteroid has been explored to-death.
It is both unfeasible and dangerous.

- It takes way too much energy - by orders of magnitude - to actually disintegrate and disperse such an object.
- Any method more sophisticated than simply hitting the asteroid at high speed is prone to failure and unpredictable results.
- Speaking of unpredictable results:
- - What if it blows into two chunks, one (or both) are still aimed toward us?
- - What if it blows into many chunks that miss us - but now we have to track them till the end of time lest they come back to haunt us?
etc.

 

[Michael 345]

- It takes way too much energy - by orders of magnitude - to actually disintegrate and disperse such an object.

I was going with your concept - Just a bunch of boulders gently stuck together by its billionth-g gravity.

Speaking of unpredictable results:
- - What if it blows into two chunks, one (or both) are still aimed toward us?

Unlikely if it is as you surmised it is
Just a bunch of boulders gently stuck together by its billionth-g gravity.

What if it blows into many chunks that miss us

Then that would be no problem - mission accomplished

but now we have to track them till the end of time lest they come back to haunt us?

Probably chunks to small to track BUT IF they come back to haunt us? would not small chunks burn up easier?

The post impact photos hopefully will indicate what the actual effect of the impact had (but obviously not of any other speculative method)

I would be most upset if it turns out we destroyed a nest of Tardigrades (alien version)

Doubtful though since Didymos almost certainly did not have water