DART worked! For the first time humans changed the trajectory of a celestial body!

[darjr]

NASA Confirms DART Mission Impact Changed Asteroid’s Motion in Space

Analysis of data obtained over the past two weeks by NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) investigation team shows the spacecraft's kinetic impact with its target asteroid, Dimorphos, successfully altered the asteroid’s orbit. This marks humanity’s first time purposely changing the...

www.nasa.gov

 

[darjr]

And yes, it’s not technically true, the slingshot flybys did. As with going to the moon.

 

[MarkB]

And yes, it’s not technically true, the slingshot flybys did. As with going to the moon.

First deliberate change to a celestial body's trajectory, though. And good to know it went well - best to get in plenty of practice at such things.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

2bn years from now, some creatures on another planet look up in the sky and see a fireball approaching…

 

[Ryujin]

I wonder if they're going to plan for a second test, to see how many degrees of arc they can change a body's orbit by? Or would that be just too dangerous?

 

[MarkB]

I wonder if they're going to plan for a second test, to see how many degrees of arc they can change a body's orbit by? Or would that be just too dangerous?

Probably the main things to focus on for any future tests will be reliability of results - how to transfer the maximum amount of kinetic energy to the target without wastage or risk of fracturing off other bodies, how to ensure that the velocity change is as predictable as possible, accounting for difficulties such as low-albedo bodies or ones with fast rotation. Perfect the technique first, then look to scaling.

 

[Ryujin]

Probably the main things to focus on for any future tests will be reliability of results - how to transfer the maximum amount of kinetic energy to the target without wastage or risk of fracturing off other bodies, how to ensure that the velocity change is as predictable as possible, accounting for difficulties such as low-albedo bodies or ones with fast rotation. Perfect the technique first, then look to scaling.

I would imagine there's also the issue of target structure. Is it a rocky asteroid, or made of softer congregate material? How will that affect impact and energy transfer?

 

[MarkB]

I would imagine there's also the issue of target structure. Is it a rocky asteroid, or made of softer congregate material? How will that affect impact and energy transfer?

Yeah, not to mention comets, which are a whole other ball game.

 

[Tonguez]

2bn years from now, some creatures on another planet look up in the sky and see a fireball approaching…

And that young Baaglebrox is how Intergalatic ping-pong was invented - it’s your turn

 

[MarkB]

2bn years from now, some creatures on another planet look up in the sky and see a fireball approaching…

The galaxy is our DARTboard.