NASA will test the system changes the orbits of asteroids
NASA plans to test the probe, which is designed to reject asteroids with dangerous orbits by shock interaction. The experiment called DART (Double Asteroid Redirection test — test of double asteroid redirection) is being developed and will be tested by scientists at the applied physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University.
Read more about the event reported in the press release.
DART uses the kinetic impact, that is hitting the asteroid to slightly change its orbit. This event will change the speed of the cosmic body only a tiny amount, but if this is done long before the alleged fall to the Ground, the collision will be avoided. Preliminary design of the probe approved by the Agency on June 23. To test the probe, NASA experts suggest for small and poses no threat the asteroid in 2024.
“The DART is a crucial step in demonstrating our ability to defend the planet from an impending asteroid — says Andy Cheng involved in the development of the project. — Since we know little about the internal structure of these celestial bodies, we need to experiment on a real asteroid”.
As the first selected target double asteroid Didim, which in 2024 will be held close to the Ground. DART will be the smaller of the pair, the size of which is about 160 meters. After starting, the unit will self lock on to Didim B. the Impact must occur at a rate of approximately 9 times faster than a bullet — about 6 kilometers per second. Ground-based Observatory that will monitor the event that will allow you to more accurately assess the possible impact of the probes to change orbits.