Smash hit – NASA’s DART ( Double Asteroid Redirection Test) | 15th October 2022 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
What's the article about?
- NASA successfully diverted the path of the asteroid using a small spacecraft DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test).
- A 160-metre-wide asteroid Dimorphos, which was orbiting a larger asteroid Didymos, was successfully diverted from its natural path.
Relevance:
- GS3: Awareness in the fields of Space;
- Prelims: Asteroids, DART
What are asteroids?
Asteroid and Dinosaurs:
Lonar Crater:
|
What is DART?
- Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is a NASA space mission aimed at testing a method of planetary defence against near-Earth objects (NEOs).
- The kinetic impactor technique is used in the DART. The reason for this test is to learn how to use the kinetic impactor technique to ‘nudge’ earth-bound asteroids out of the way, years before impact.
Potential benefits:
- Protection of the Earth from the against near-Earth objects (NEOs) such as asteroids.
- To harvest rich minerals from these asteroids.
Challenges:
- All asteroids are not similar, so more tests have to be done to perfect this technique.
Way forward:
- The U.S. is not alone in attempting this. China has a plan to deflect a 40 m wide, earth-crossing asteroid named 2020PN1 by 2026.
- India also must invest in such projects as the potential benefits are promising and also to ensure India’s capabilities in space defence.
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