NASA asteroid crash test could hurl debris toward Earth and Mars

Debris from NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, which was designed to change the trajectory of the asteroid Dimorphos, could potentially reach Earth and Mars, according to a study published by The Planetary Science JournalThe DART mission, which was carried out in September 2022, involved a spacecraft crashing into Dimorphos, a small moon orbiting the larger asteroid Didymos, to test a method for deflecting potentially dangerous asteroids.

Simulations by an international team of researchers suggest that debris from the impact, particularly particles ejected at high speeds, could reach Earth in just seven years and Mars in just over a decade. However, scientists assure that any fragments that reach Earth will disintegrate harmlessly in the atmosphere, possibly creating a meteor shower called “dimorphids.”

Despite the possibility of debris, the DART mission is being hailed as a success because it altered Dimorphos' orbit around Didymos by 32 minutes. This milestone marks the first time humanity has intentionally altered the motion of a celestial body. The European Space Agency's upcoming Hera mission will further study the impact to refine future asteroid defense strategies.

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