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NASA CRAFT THAT DIVERTED SPACE ROCK ALSO DENTED IT
Why in the news?
NASA’s DART spacecraft collision with asteroid Dimorphous altered its shape and orbital path, demonstrating celestial object trajectory alteration.
source:thehindu
About the Changes Observed:
- Before the DART encounter, Dimorphous resembled a plump-waisted ball, but post-impact, it transformed into a shape akin to a watermelon, termed a triaxial ellipsoid.
- Dimorphous, being a loosely packed agglomeration of debris, underwent significant deformation due to its low global strength, leading to the dramatic shape change.
| About the DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test):
● DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) is a low-cost spacecraft designed for testing new technology. ● It uses hydrazine propellant and NEXT-C gridded ion thruster system for manoeuvring in space. ● Equipped with DRACO and LICIACube for imaging, its objective is to redirect asteroids threatening Earth by crashing into them. What are Asteroids ? ● Asteroids are rocky particles orbiting the sun, smaller than planets. ● Most concentrated in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter. ● Occasionally, asteroids veer off course, posing potential threats to Earth. |
