logo
NASA's DART mission ejected boulders from asteroid Dimorphos, offering new insight into asteroid collision outcomes

NASA's DART mission ejected boulders from asteroid Dimorphos, offering new insight into asteroid collision outcomes

Time of India10-07-2025
Source: Live Science
NASA
's ambitious Double
Asteroid Redirection
Test (DART) mission was designed to prove that humanity could redirect a potentially hazardous
asteroid
using sheer kinetic force. Launched toward the binary asteroid system of Didymos and its smaller moonlet Dimorphos, DART intentionally collided with Dimorphos on September 26, 2022. The goal is to shift its orbit as a planetary defense rehearsal.
While the mission was declared a major success after Dimorphos' orbit was shortened by 32 minutes—far surpassing the goal of 73 seconds—scientists have now discovered the impact had unexpected side effects.
NASA's DART mission asteroid impact unleashed over 100 boulders; reveals new study
A new study published in The Planetary Science Journal reveals that the spacecraft's impact not only deflected the asteroid—it also triggered the ejection of over 100 boulders that significantly contributed to the total momentum transfer. Tony Farnham, lead author and research scientist at the University of Maryland, emphasised that this extra 'kick' changes how scientists must model asteroid deflection in future missions.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Arvind Aqua City - Luxury Residential Plots - Ahmedabad
Arvind Aqua City
Learn More
Undo
'These boulders carried almost as much momentum as the DART spacecraft itself,' said Farnham. 'We now have to consider debris ejecta when planning any future asteroid redirection efforts.' The mission's data was complemented by observations from LICIACube, a small Italian CubeSat deployed just before impact. It recorded high-resolution images of the collision and tracked the trajectory of the ejected debris between 29 to 243 seconds post-impact.
LICIACube's cameras captured 104 visible boulders ranging from 0.2 to 3.6 meters in radius shooting away from Dimorphos at an average speed of 52 meters per second (around 116 mph). Strangely, the boulders did not scatter evenly. Instead, they formed two distinct clusters, a pattern that hints at complex underlying physics.
Source: Space.com
DART impact caused bigger shift in Dimorphos' orbit than expected
Co-author Jessica Sunshine, who previously worked on NASA's Deep Impact mission, believes that DART's solar panels likely struck two larger surface boulders named Atabaque and Bodhran. This collision might have shattered them, giving rise to the dense southern cluster of ejecta.
According to the team's analysis, these secondary fragments account for 96% of the observed boulder momentum three times greater than that of DART itself. That momentum was directed almost entirely southward, potentially altering Dimorphos' orbital inclination in relation to Didymos' equator. The surprise presence of boulder ejecta reveals the limits of relying solely on ground-based observations. Prior models underestimated how rubble-pile asteroids—asteroids composed of loosely held rocks—respond to high-speed impacts. This complexity underscores the importance of factoring in asteroid surface structure when planning future missions.
The European Space Agency's
Hera mission
, currently en route, is expected to conduct a detailed post-impact survey. It may confirm whether Dimorphos is now tumbling in a slightly altered orbit and further validate how much momentum was contributed by ejecta. As Sunshine put it, deflecting an asteroid is like playing pool at a planetary scale. "If we need to move an asteroid even slightly to avoid a collision with Earth, every force, angle, and surface feature matters,' she said. 'Ignoring these boulder dynamics would be like taking a shot without aiming.'
Also Read |
July Full Moon 2025: When and where to watch the Buck Moon in India, and the meaning behind its name
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Nasa, Isro may partner again after Nisar: Nasa EO director
Nasa, Isro may partner again after Nisar: Nasa EO director

Time of India

time21 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Nasa, Isro may partner again after Nisar: Nasa EO director

BENGALURU: Following the $1.5 billion Nasa- Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nisar) mission, Nasa and Isro could soon start discussing areas of common interest for another joint mission although there's nothing concrete decided at this juncture. Karen St Germain, Director of Earth Science, Nasa headquarters, answering a question on whether there would be a follow-up mission, said late on Monday: '…We have been so focussed on getting Nisar completed and into orbit and extracting the incredible science and applications from the mission that we don't have a mission lined up at the moment. But I assume we will start talking about common interests on our next mission in the near future. ' Nasa hinting at a possibility of another joint mission points to a growing alignment between the two space agencies not just in human spaceflight or lunar exploration but also in Earth observation and climate monitoring — areas where both countries see strategic and scientific value. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Powerful team With Nisar fully ready for launch — lift off is scheduled for 5.40pm Wednesday aboard GSLV-F16 — Nasa and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) officials reflected on the nearly decade-long collaboration that has brought Indian and American engineers into close quarters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Comfortably: 60m2 prefabricated bungalow for the elderly in Sumber Rejo Pre Fabricated Homes | Search Ads Search Now Undo 'We've worked this intimately where they [Isro teams] spent years at our facility and we spent years at theirs,' Phil Barela, Nisar project manager from JPL, said, describing the partnership as deeply integrated. He noted that while the two agencies often approached problems differently, the teams stayed open-minded and eventually developed a strong working rhythm. 'It is an extremely powerful team at this point and not something we'd trade for the world,' Barela added. Karen, while recognising the leadership of Isro and JPL team, said building a satellite on opposite sides of the world during a global pandemic was really hard, but it strengthened the relationship with Isro. 'The collaboration, the cooperation, information sharing, and, frankly, joint learning between our two agencies is a foundation that we look forward to continuing to build upon,' Karen said. Barela added that during the height of Covid, about 65 Isro engineers visited JPL and worked to keep the integration and tests going. '...And over the last two-and-a-half years, Nasa has sent out over 175 engineers to Isro's facilities to keep the integration and tests going and get us ready for where we stand today and ready for launch.' Isro cost model different Financially, Nasa has invested about $1.2 billion over the primary life of the mission. However, Karen refrained from comparing costs directly with Isro, saying the Indian agency follows a different accounting model. '...So it's really difficult to draw comparisons based on money alone,' Karen noted. Instead, she highlighted the equitable hardware and operations contributions from both sides. Nasa developed the L-band radar system and related subsystems, while Isro built the spacecraft bus, S-band radar, solar arrays, and is handling launch and mission operations. A standout component of the spacecraft is the nearly 40-foot deployable antenna and boom, an engineering feat integrated across teams. 'This is a completely joint and integrated mission,' Karen said, emphasising that Nisar reflects a level of collaboration that is rare in large-scale satellite missions.

Mobile device to make TB screening simpler
Mobile device to make TB screening simpler

Time of India

time37 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Mobile device to make TB screening simpler

Guwahati: Researchers at Tezpur University have developed a cost-effective and mobile device for detecting Tuberculosis (TB) cases using a smartphone. The innovative diagnostic equipment, designed by a team led by Prof. Pabitra Nath from the physics department, was specifically engineered to serve communities in rural and isolated regions where sophisticated healthcare infrastructure is limited. A TU spokesperson said the new device stands out as it does not need any chemicals or dyes for TB detection like in conventional techniques, but uses the natural glow (autofluorescence) of TB bacteria for detection of the disease. "The device has a built-in heating system to improve test accuracy and can be operated using a smartphone," he said. Its affordability at under Rs 25,000 and lightweight design of less than 300 grams makes it highly portable. These characteristics make it particularly suitable for regions with basic healthcare facilities. "While LED-FM offers higher sensitivity than conventional optical microscopy, it has several drawbacks. It depends on costly equipment, chemical staining agents like auramine-O, and trained personnel for sample preparation and interpretation," Prof. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Retirees Unaware Of No Deposit Car Insurance Based On Their Age OTTO Insurance Learn More Undo Nath said. "The device developed by the TU researchers leverages the principle of autofluorescence. The team's key innovation lies in the integration of a heating element within the sensor system. By raising the temperature of the bacterial sample, the system enhances the natural fluorescence signal from mTB cells, enabling trace-level detection without the use of stains or dyes," he research group comprises two scholars, Biprav Chetry and Chunuranjan Dutta, from the Physics Department, alongside JP Saikia and Santanu Goswami from the Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Department, and Abhijit Gogoi representing Labdig Innovations and Systems Pvt. Ltd. The team already filed a patent for the device (Indian Patent Application No. 202431035472), and their findings were published in the international journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics. The University's Vice Chancellor, Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh, offered his congratulations and noted that this development could significantly advance TB detection efforts, particularly in rural communities.

Eye in the sky: Nasa-Isro joint mission NISAR to launch on Wednesday
Eye in the sky: Nasa-Isro joint mission NISAR to launch on Wednesday

Business Standard

time40 minutes ago

  • Business Standard

Eye in the sky: Nasa-Isro joint mission NISAR to launch on Wednesday

The imaging technology in Nisar will be able to provide very high-resolution data on changes as small as one centimetre in size on Earth's surface India is poised to script yet another history in the space sector through the launch of the Nisar (Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission, a collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. It is touted as the most expensive Earth observation satellite to date. The imaging technology in Nisar will be able to provide very high-resolution data on changes as small as one centimetre in size on Earth's surface. This will also democratise space sector data by providing free access to the research community. Scaling new heights Key highlights of the mission September 30, 2014: Isro and Nasa signed the deal for the Nisar mission July 30, 2025: Set to launch the satellite aboard the GSLV-Mk II rocket from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 5:40 pm $1.5 billion: Total investment in the mission ₹469.4 crore: India's share 2,392 kg: Weight of Nisar What will Nisar do? According to Nasa, it will collect information about our planet's environment It will scan nearly all of Earth's land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, providing insights into the expansion and contraction of ice sheets, sea ice, and glaciers, the deformation of its crust due to natural hazards, as well as natural and human changes to Earth's terrestrial ecosystems It will help in detecting volcanic changes, landslides, and climate change by taking images of the Earth 24 hours a day These measurements will be carried out by two radar systems — an L-band system built by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, and an S-band system constructed by Isro's space applications centre in Ahmedabad Nisar is the first satellite to carry two radars working at two different frequencies The mission also marks the first hardware collaboration on an Earth-observing mission between the two space agencies. It will use SweepSAR technology for wide-area observation For the first time, a Nasa payload is being launched aboard India's GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) GSLV is deployed for a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), which is traditionally a terrain of PSLV GSLV-F16 will put the satellite in a 734 km sun-synchronous orbit Other space cooperations in the pipeline 61: Number of countries with which India has so far signed space cooperative documents. A similar deal was also signed with five multilateral bodies. Trishna mission: Planned earth observation satellite mission by India and France, focusing on thermal infrared imaging for monitoring land and water surface temperatures, scheduled for launch this year

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store