NASA's DART mission reveals unexpected complication
NASA's DART mission proved we can nudge an asteroid off course—Dimorphos's orbit was shortened by 32 minutes.
But there's a twist: smashing into the asteroid also sent over 100 big boulders flying, which added unexpected forces and made its movement more complicated than scientists expected.
DART impact sent over 100 boulders flying
When DART hit Dimorphos, it didn't just make a dent. Two huge surface boulders shattered, launching over 100 rocks at speeds up to 52m/s.
These flying boulders carried way more momentum than the spacecraft itself and could even tilt the asteroid's orbit.
Messy details complicate asteroid's movement
Turns out, an asteroid's rough surface makes predicting what happens after impact pretty tough—the debris goes wild compared to smoother asteroids targeted in earlier missions.
To really protect Earth from space rocks, future missions will need to factor in these messy details.
ESA's Hera spacecraft to help scientists
ESA is sending its Hera spacecraft to check out Dimorphos and Didymos in 2026.
The goal? Get a closer look at all that debris and help scientists fine-tune how we handle asteroids heading our way.