# Dart spacecraft

Type: Product

Source: Space & Defense Intelligence Brief — https://getspacebrief.com/entity/dart-spacecraft
Canonical HTML page: https://getspacebrief.com/entity/dart-spacecraft

## Timeline

- **2026-03-06**: Solar Orbit Confirmation — International researchers confirm the impact also shifted the system's orbit around the sun.
- **2022-10-11**: Local Orbit Change — NASA confirms the impact shortened Dimorphos' orbit around Didymos by 32 minutes.
- **2022-09-26**: Kinetic Impact — The DART spacecraft successfully slams into the asteroid Dimorphos.
- **2021-11-24**: DART Launch — NASA launches the Double Asteroid Redirection Test from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

## Recent coverage (1 stories)

### NASA DART Mission Achieves First-Ever Solar Orbit Alteration of an Asteroid
2026-03-07 00:09:59 · Sentiment: Positive · Impact: 8/10 · Sources: 6

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.
Full story: https://getspacebrief.com/story/nasa-dart-asteroid-solar-orbit-change

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