Planetary Defense Success! NASA's DART Data Validates Asteroid Kinetic Impact Method

Johns Hopkins (via SciTechDaily.com) ^ | 02 March 2023 | Ajai Raj

[zeestephen]

The key to kinetic impact is that the push to the asteroid comes not only from colliding spacecraft, but also from the ejecta recoil. The authors conclude: "To serve as a proof-of-concept for the kinetic impactor technique of planetary defense, DART needed to demonstrate that an asteroid could be targeted during a high-speed encounter and that the target's orbit could be changed. DART has successfully done both."

[SaveFerris]

I’m counting on Steve Buscemi

But that’s just me

[HighSierra5]

Just imagine the kinetic energy a giant hydrogen bomb would do.

[I-ambush]

Space billiards. Just hope they don’t put too much “English” on the asteroid and send it earthward.

[TexasFreeper2009]

the chances of humans surviving another 1,000 years or more just skyrocketed.

[norwaypinesavage]

It’s OK that NASA has again demonstrated the validity of Newton’s Law of Gravity, but it’s hardly worth jumping out of the bathtub and running down the street naked, yelling ‘Eureka’, like, Archimedes. These results were certainly expected, and now demonstrated.

[norwaypinesavage]

"Just imagine the kinetic energy a giant hydrogen bomb would do."

Not necessarily. Some speculate that it might just blow the asteroid apart, and gravity would bring it back together again, with little disruption of the path.

[tomkat]

.. or that asteroid slug that might've missed turns into a buckshot asteroid that doesn't   ;-)

[Steely Tom]

This technology will be weaponized.

[sasquatch]

Already done: David Goliath

[zeestephen]

Re: "This technology will be weaponized."

Believe it or not, most anti-missile technology involves one-on-one collisions - no explosives.

[SunkenCiv]

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