University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Last mentioned: 7h ago

Timeline

  1. Solar Orbit Confirmation

    International researchers confirm the impact also shifted the system's orbit around the sun.

  2. Local Orbit Change

    NASA confirms the impact shortened Dimorphos' orbit around Didymos by 32 minutes.

  3. Kinetic Impact

    The DART spacecraft successfully slams into the asteroid Dimorphos.

  4. DART Launch

    NASA launches the Double Asteroid Redirection Test from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Stories mentioning University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 1

Aerospace Bullish

NASA DART Mission Achieves First-Ever Solar Orbit Alteration of an Asteroid

A landmark study confirms that NASA’s DART mission successfully altered the solar orbit of the asteroid Dimorphos, the first time humanity has intentionally changed a celestial body's path around the sun. The findings validate the 'kinetic impactor' strategy as a viable long-term defense mechanism against potential Earth-bound threats.

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