![]() ![]() Although neither asteroid poses a threat to Earth, the collision with Dimorphos enables researchers to demonstrate the deflection technique along with several new technologies, and collect important data to enhance our modeling and predictive capabilities for asteroid deflection. DART will impact the small asteroid moonlet Dimorphos, which orbits a larger companion, Didymos, in a binary asteroid system to change its orbital period. Once completed, we will be ready for launch and operations.”ĭART will be the world’s first mission to test planetary defense techniques, demonstrating one mitigation method of asteroid deflection, called kinetic impact. “We have a few more mission rehearsals to do, with the team practicing spacecraft launch operations from Vandenberg in California and the APL Mission Operations Center in Maryland. “We spent the last one and a half years testing DART on the ground, practicing for what’s the most highly anticipated part yet: its flight to Dimorphos,” Adams said. The DART team also successfully went through a flight operational readiness review to assess its readiness to start spacecraft operations once DART enters space. In mid-September, the spacecraft successfully went through a pre-shipment review to ensure each part was complete and ready for shipment. The spacecraft will go through a series of final tests and checks, as well as fueling, in the next few weeks as the team prepares for DART’s scheduled launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in late November. “We are all excited and relieved to see the truck arrive safely at Vandenberg and for DART to begin its final preparations for launch.” “Although it was just a few days of travel, this has been a journey long coming,” said Elena Adams, DART mission systems engineer from APL. The truck, spacecraft and a small motorcade of APL engineers and technicians pulled into Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc, California, on Saturday, Oct. U003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eNASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitmanu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003e ![]()
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