Nasa’s Dart spacecraft strikes asteroid in test of defence against killer space rocks
- Scientists conducted US$325 million mission in the event that we will one day need to change the path of an object headed for Earth
- Experts prefer nudging a threatening asteroid rather than blowing it up and creating multiple pieces that could rain down on the planet
A Nasa spacecraft rammed an asteroid at blistering speed Monday in an unprecedented dress rehearsal for the day a killer rock menaces Earth.
The galactic grand slam occurred at a harmless asteroid 9.6 million km (7 million miles) away, with the spacecraft named Dart ploughing into the small space rock at 22,500km/h (14,000mph).
Scientists expected the impact to carve out a crater, hurl streams of rocks and dirt into space and, most importantly, alter the asteroid’s orbit.
“We have impact!” Mission Control’s Elena Adams announced, jumping up and down and thrusting her arms skyward.
Telescopes around the world and in space aimed at the same point in the sky to capture the spectacle. Though the impact was immediately obvious – Dart’s radio signal abruptly ceased – it will be days or even weeks to determine how much the asteroid’s path was changed.
The US$325 million mission was the first attempt to shift the position of an asteroid or any other natural object in space.