Team members were observing the current COVID-19 protocols when the images were taken.
Videos
Impact Activities and Results
DART Changes the Orbit of an Asteroid
NASA’s DART mission confirmed that crashing spacecraft into asteroids can deflect them.
DART Changes the Orbit of an Asteroid
NASA’s DART mission confirmed that crashing spacecraft into asteroids can deflect them.
Credit: NASA
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Credit: NASA
DART Mission Impact Success
On Sept. 26, after ten months of journeying through space, NASA's experimental Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft — roughly the size of a vending machine — hurtled toward a binary ...
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DART Mission Impact Success
On Sept. 26, after ten months of journeying through space, NASA's experimental Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft — roughly the size of a vending machine — hurtled toward a binary asteroid some 7 million miles (11 million kilometers) from Earth at a speed of roughly 14,000 miles (22,530 kilometers) per hour. The intentional impact marked the world’s first planetary defense technology demonstration and humanity’s first successful attempt to move a celestial object.
Credit: Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: Johns Hopkins APL
Pioneering Planetary Defense: What Comes Next After DART’s Asteroid Impact (AGU Press Conference: 15 December, 2022)
The DART team presents the latest scientific results at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2022 meeting.
Pioneering Planetary Defense: What Comes Next After DART’s Asteroid Impact (AGU Press Conference: 15 December, 2022)
The DART team presents the latest scientific results at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2022 meeting.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/AGU
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/AGU
DART’s Impact with Asteroid Dimorphos (Official NASA Broadcast)
Countdown to impact as NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) attempts humanity’s first-ever test of planetary defense! The DART spacecraft will intentionally crash into asteroid Dimorphos...
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DART’s Impact with Asteroid Dimorphos (Official NASA Broadcast)
Countdown to impact as NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) attempts humanity’s first-ever test of planetary defense! The DART spacecraft will intentionally crash into asteroid Dimorphos at 7:14 p.m. ET on Monday, September 26, 2022 to see if kinetic force can change its orbit. Why? If this test is successful, the same technique could be used to deflect an Earth-threatening asteroid in the future, should one ever be discovered.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Update on DART Mission to Asteroid Dimorphos (NASA News Conference Oct. 11, 2022)
Experts discuss early results of the NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission and its intentional collision with its target asteroid, Dimorphos.
Update on DART Mission to Asteroid Dimorphos (NASA News Conference Oct. 11, 2022)
Experts discuss early results of the NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission and its intentional collision with its target asteroid, Dimorphos.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
The Challenge of DART – Doing Something that's Never Been Done
This video explains the incredible and complex work that went into making the world's first planetary defense mission.
The Challenge of DART – Doing Something that's Never Been Done
This video explains the incredible and complex work that went into making the world's first planetary defense mission.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Telescopic Observations
Telescopic View 147 Days After Impact
These images were acquired on February 21, 2023 by the Lowell Discovery Telescope, 147 days after DART’s impact into Dimorphos. The movie covers just under 6 hours and is composed of images acquired...
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Telescopic View 147 Days After Impact
These images were acquired on February 21, 2023 by the Lowell Discovery Telescope, 147 days after DART’s impact into Dimorphos. The movie covers just under 6 hours and is composed of images acquired with 160-second exposures.
Credit: Lowell Discovery Telescope/Observers: Moskovitz, Knight
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Credit: Lowell Discovery Telescope/Observers: Moskovitz, Knight
Hubble Space Telescope Captures the Evolution of Ejecta
This video shows images acquired by the Hubble Space Telescope starting at 1.3 hours before DART's impact to 18.5 days after impact.
Hubble Space Telescope Captures the Evolution of Ejecta
This video shows images acquired by the Hubble Space Telescope starting at 1.3 hours before DART's impact to 18.5 days after impact.
Credit: NASA/European Space Agency/Space Telescope Science Institute/Hubble Space Telescope
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Credit: NASA/European Space Agency/Space Telescope Science Institute/Hubble Space Telescope
Didymos System on November 30, 2022
This video is constructed of images taken on November 30, 2022 by astronomers at Magdalena Ridge Observatory in New Mexico, USA. It shows the motion of the Didymos system across the sky over the cours...
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Didymos System on November 30, 2022
This video is constructed of images taken on November 30, 2022 by astronomers at Magdalena Ridge Observatory in New Mexico, USA. It shows the motion of the Didymos system across the sky over the course of roughly 80 minutes, and features a long, linear tail stretching to the right from the asteroid system to the edge of the frame. The animation is roughly 32,000 kilometers across the field of view at the distance of Didymos.
Credit: Magdalena Ridge Observatory/NM Tech
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Credit: Magdalena Ridge Observatory/NM Tech
Didymos System from September 27—October 21, 2022
This video is constructed of images taken in the first month after the DART impact by astronomers at the ?teh?wai Mt. John Observatory in New Zealand. Each frame of this video is the average over an e...
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Didymos System from September 27—October 21, 2022
This video is constructed of images taken in the first month after the DART impact by astronomers at the ?teh?wai Mt. John Observatory in New Zealand. Each frame of this video is the average over an entire night of observing, with the telescope holding the Didymos system in the center and the stars appearing as streaks. The length across the animation changes from roughly 110,000—129,000 kilometers across the field of view at the distance of Didymos as Didymos recedes from the Earth.
Credit: University of Canterbury ?teh?wai Mt. John Observatory / UCNZ
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Credit: University of Canterbury ?teh?wai Mt. John Observatory / UCNZ
Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
Views of the Didymos and Dimorphos binary asteroid system obtained from radar facilities at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Goldstone planetary radar in California and the National Science Foundati...
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Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
Views of the Didymos and Dimorphos binary asteroid system obtained from radar facilities at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Goldstone planetary radar in California and the National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. Shown at left are Oct. 4, 2022, observations from Goldstone observations; at right are combined Goldstone and Green Bank observations from Oct. 9, 2022. The vertical axis shows radar range, or the distance from Earth, and the horizontal axis shows Doppler, or line of sight velocity. The final slide in the movie shows the difference between where Dimorphos is observed compared to where it would have been with the original orbit.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
Hubble Capture Detailed Views of DART Impact
This animated GIF combines three of the images NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured after NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) intentionally impacted Dimorphos, a moonlet asteroid in t...
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Hubble Capture Detailed Views of DART Impact
This animated GIF combines three of the images NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured after NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) intentionally impacted Dimorphos, a moonlet asteroid in the double asteroid system of Didymos. The animation spans from 22 minutes after impact to 8.2 hours after the collision took place. As a result of the impact, the brightness of the Didymos-Dimorphos system increased by 3 times. The brightness also appears to hold fairly steady, even eight hours after impact.
Credit: Science: gif, ESA, Jian-Yang Li (PSI); animation: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
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Credit: Science: gif, ESA, Jian-Yang Li (PSI); animation: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
Webb Capture Detailed Views of DART Impact
This animation, a timelapse of images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, covers the time spanning just before impact at 7:14 p.m. EDT, Sept. 26, through 5 hours post-impact. Plumes of material ...
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Webb Capture Detailed Views of DART Impact
This animation, a timelapse of images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, covers the time spanning just before impact at 7:14 p.m. EDT, Sept. 26, through 5 hours post-impact. Plumes of material from a compact core appear as wisps streaming away from where the impact took place. An area of rapid, extreme brightening is also visible in the animation.
Credit: Science: NASA, ESA, CSA, Cristina Thomas (Northern Arizona University), Ian Wong (NASA-GSFC); Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
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Credit: Science: NASA, ESA, CSA, Cristina Thomas (Northern Arizona University), Ian Wong (NASA-GSFC); Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
DRACO
Impact replay movie
The final five-and-a-half minutes of images leading up to the DART spacecraft's intentional collision with asteroid Dimorphos. The DART spacecraft streamed these images from its DRACO camera back to E...
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Impact replay movie
The final five-and-a-half minutes of images leading up to the DART spacecraft's intentional collision with asteroid Dimorphos. The DART spacecraft streamed these images from its DRACO camera back to Earth in real time as it approached the asteroid. This replay movie is 10 times faster than reality, except for the last six images, which are shown at the same rate that the spacecraft returned them. Both Didymos and its moonlet Dimorphos are visible at the start of the movie. At the end, Dimorphos fills the field of view. The final image in the movie shows a patch of Dimorphos that is 51 feet 16 meters) across. DART's impact occurred during transmission of the final image to Earth, resulting in a partial picture at the end of this movie. Didymos is roughly 2,500 feet (780 meters) in diameter; Dimorphos is about 525 feet (160 meters) in length.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
LICIACube
LICIACube Captures the Moment of DART’s Impact
Images from the Italian Space Agency’s Light Italian CubeSat for Imaging of Asteroids (LICIACube) taken immediately before and after DART’s impact into Dimorphos show the brightening of the system...
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LICIACube Captures the Moment of DART’s Impact
Images from the Italian Space Agency’s Light Italian CubeSat for Imaging of Asteroids (LICIACube) taken immediately before and after DART’s impact into Dimorphos show the brightening of the system following DART’s impact and the initial development of ejecta.
Credit: ASI/NASA
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Credit: ASI/NASA
LUKE camera on ASI's LICIACube Captures Impact
This movie uses images from the LUKE camera on ASI’s LICIACube, captured just after the impact of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirect Test, or DART, spacecraft with the asteroid Dimorphos on Sept. 26,...
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LUKE camera on ASI's LICIACube Captures Impact
This movie uses images from the LUKE camera on ASI’s LICIACube, captured just after the impact of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirect Test, or DART, spacecraft with the asteroid Dimorphos on Sept. 26, 2022. The video begins with LICIACube around 500 miles away from the asteroid, passes by, and then continues to around 200 miles away. The video clearly shows the ejection of material streaming off of Dimorphos due to the impact.
Credit: ASI/NASA
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Credit: ASI/NASA
Post-Impact LICIACube First Press Images
Animation of two LEIA images showing the change in Dimorphos’ brightness immediately before and immediately after impact (LICIACube-Dimorphos distance = 1020 km)
Post-Impact LICIACube First Press Images
Animation of two LEIA images showing the change in Dimorphos’ brightness immediately before and immediately after impact (LICIACube-Dimorphos distance = 1020 km)
Credit: ASI/NASA
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Credit: ASI/NASA
Overview
NASA's DART Mission (2022 DART Trailer)
NASA's first flight mission for planetary defense, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) seeks to test and validate a method to protect Earth in case of an asteroid impact threat. The DART missi...
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NASA's DART Mission (2022 DART Trailer)
NASA's first flight mission for planetary defense, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) seeks to test and validate a method to protect Earth in case of an asteroid impact threat. The DART mission aims to shift an asteroid's orbit through kinetic impact – specifically, by smashing a spacecraft into the smaller member of the binary asteroid system Didymos. DART reaches its target asteroid in September 2022.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben/Jessica Tozer
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben/Jessica Tozer
Defending the Planet- NASA’s DART Mission
Launched in November 2021, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) will be the world’s first mission to test planetary defense techniques, demonstrating one mitigation method of asteroid defl...
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Defending the Planet- NASA’s DART Mission
Launched in November 2021, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) will be the world’s first mission to test planetary defense techniques, demonstrating one mitigation method of asteroid deflection, called kinetic impact. DART will impact the small asteroid moonlet Dimorphos, which orbits a larger companion, Didymos, in a binary asteroid system to change its orbital period. Although neither asteroid poses a threat to Earth, the collision with Dimorphos enables researchers to demonstrate the deflection technique along with several new technologies, and collect important data to enhance our modeling and predictive capabilities for asteroid deflection. Those enhancements will help us better prepare should an asteroid ever be discovered as a threat to Earth.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Astronauts Show How NASA's DART Mission Will Change an Asteroid's Motion in Space
The DART spacecraft will intentionally crash into an asteroid to test if impacting an object is a viable way to deflect an asteroid, should a threat ever be discovered in the future. Watch as NASA ast...
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Astronauts Show How NASA's DART Mission Will Change an Asteroid's Motion in Space
The DART spacecraft will intentionally crash into an asteroid to test if impacting an object is a viable way to deflect an asteroid, should a threat ever be discovered in the future. Watch as NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet demonstrate how the DART mission will work. Spoiler alert: it’s like a pillow fight in microgravity.
Credit: NASA | Editor: Jessica Wilde, NASA 360
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Credit: NASA | Editor: Jessica Wilde, NASA 360
Overview of the DART Mission (Engineering)
Produced December 2018
Overview of the DART Mission (Engineering)
Produced December 2018
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Overview of the DART Mission (Mission Overview)
Produced December 2018
Overview of the DART Mission (Mission Overview)
Produced December 2018
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Overview of the DART Mission (Full Video)
Produced December 2018
Overview of the DART Mission (Full Video)
Produced December 2018
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Launch Activities
Launch Show: Michelle Chen
Launch Show: Samson Reiny
Launch Show: DART Launch Reaction
Launch Show: First Stage Separation
Launch Show: Countdown to Separation
Watch NASA’s DART Mission Launch (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) Official Broadcast/Stream
Can we change the motion of an asteroid? Our #DARTMission is set to be the first to try! The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission is a spacecraft designed to impact an asteroid as a test of...
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Watch NASA’s DART Mission Launch (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) Official Broadcast/Stream
Can we change the motion of an asteroid? Our #DARTMission is set to be the first to try! The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission is a spacecraft designed to impact an asteroid as a test of technology to see if it can change the motion of an asteroid in space. The goal of the mission is to see if intentionally crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid is an effective way to change its course, should an Earth-threatening asteroid be discovered in the future. DART’s target is the binary near-Earth asteroid Didymos and its moonlet, which pose no threat to Earth.
Credit:
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NASA Science Live: We’re Crashing a Spacecraft into an Asteroid…on Purpose!
What questions do you have about NASA’s #DARTMission? Listen to our experts as NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) launches soon on a journey to become the world’s first #PlanetaryDef...
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NASA Science Live: We’re Crashing a Spacecraft into an Asteroid…on Purpose!
What questions do you have about NASA’s #DARTMission? Listen to our experts as NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) launches soon on a journey to become the world’s first #PlanetaryDefense test. The spacecraft will intentionally crash itself into an asteroid to see if it can move its motion in space. If it does, this could be proved as a viable way to deflect a threatening asteroid in the future, should one be discovered.
Credit:
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Team
Behind the DART Mission: Inside the DART MOC
DART Mission Operations Manager Ray Harvey discusses the DART Mission Operations Center (MOC) and its critical role in the DART mission.
Behind the DART Mission: Inside the DART MOC
DART Mission Operations Manager Ray Harvey discusses the DART Mission Operations Center (MOC) and its critical role in the DART mission.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Behind the DART Mission: The Science Behind Impacts
DART Impact Working Group Lead Angela Stickle discusses planetary impacts and DART's kinetic impact test with Dimorphos
Behind the DART Mission: The Science Behind Impacts
DART Impact Working Group Lead Angela Stickle discusses planetary impacts and DART's kinetic impact test with Dimorphos
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Behind the DART Mission: Building a Spacecraft
DART Telecommunications Integration and Testing Lead Engineer Joshua Ramirez discusses the communications system and operations of the DART spacecraft.
Behind the DART Mission: Building a Spacecraft
DART Telecommunications Integration and Testing Lead Engineer Joshua Ramirez discusses the communications system and operations of the DART spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Behind the Spacecraft: Justyna Surowiec
DART Public Affairs Officer Justyna Surowiec discusses telling the story of the DART mission.
Behind the Spacecraft: Justyna Surowiec
DART Public Affairs Officer Justyna Surowiec discusses telling the story of the DART mission.
Credit: NASA
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Credit: NASA
Behind the Spacecraft: Kelly Fast
NASA's Kelly Fast discusses the goals of planetary defense and NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office.
Behind the Spacecraft: Kelly Fast
NASA's Kelly Fast discusses the goals of planetary defense and NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office.
Credit: NASA
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Credit: NASA
Behind the Spacecraft: Michelle Chen
DART's SMART Nav Lead Michelle Chen discusses the onboard, autonomous navigation system that DART will use to target Dimorphos for DART's kinetic impact test.
Behind the Spacecraft: Michelle Chen
DART's SMART Nav Lead Michelle Chen discusses the onboard, autonomous navigation system that DART will use to target Dimorphos for DART's kinetic impact test.
Credit: NASA
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Credit: NASA
Behind the Spacecraft: Elena Adams
DART Mission System Engineer Elena Adams discusses leading the team to build the DART spacecraft.
Behind the Spacecraft: Elena Adams
DART Mission System Engineer Elena Adams discusses leading the team to build the DART spacecraft.
Credit: NASA
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Credit: NASA
Behind the Spacecraft: Andy Rivkin
DART Investigation Team Lead Andy Rivkin discusses the astronomical observations of asteroids and the role of such observations in the DART mission.
Behind the Spacecraft: Andy Rivkin
DART Investigation Team Lead Andy Rivkin discusses the astronomical observations of asteroids and the role of such observations in the DART mission.
Credit: NASA
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Credit: NASA
Behind the Scenes: Inspecting DART's Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) Technology (feat Luke Becker)
NASA’s DART, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, is a carefully planned experiment that will help determine if kinetic impactor technology—hurtling a spacecraft, toward a rocky body at speeds of...
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Behind the Scenes: Inspecting DART's Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) Technology (feat Luke Becker)
NASA’s DART, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, is a carefully planned experiment that will help determine if kinetic impactor technology—hurtling a spacecraft, toward a rocky body at speeds of about 13,000 miles per hour with the intention of pushing it off course—can serve as a reliable method of asteroid deflection in the event that such a hazard ever heads for the Earth. The recently installed Roll-Out Solar Arrays (ROSA) are critical technology that will enable the DART spacecraft to navigate through space and effectively reach the Didymos asteroid system. The flexible and rollable “wings” are lighter and more compact than traditional solar arrays despite their size; in space, each array will slowly unfurl to reach 28 feet in length, about the size of a bus. The technology was first demonstrated on the International Space Station in 2017 and again this past June, but DART will be the first spacecraft to fly the new arrays, paving the way for their use on future missions. Deployable Space Systems (DSS), the manufacturing company out of Goleta, California, which developed the technology, delivered ROSA to APL in May and worked closely with the APL team in the following weeks to install them onto the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
Behind the Scenes: Testing for Electromagnetic Interference on DART (ft. Ken Watson)
DART’s electromagnetic compatibility and interference lead engineer Ken Watson develops requirements and tests to make sure the spacecraft’s many electronic systems will operate before and after l...
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Behind the Scenes: Testing for Electromagnetic Interference on DART (ft. Ken Watson)
DART’s electromagnetic compatibility and interference lead engineer Ken Watson develops requirements and tests to make sure the spacecraft’s many electronic systems will operate before and after launch. This work is critical because a spacecraft is not typically tested as a whole until right before launch or, sometimes, even after launch. It’s important for the team to identify any problems early on, so that nothing stops the spacecraft from collecting important science data.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
Behind the Scenes: Outfitting the DART Spacecraft with Thermal Blankets, ft. Elisabeth Abel
Elisabeth Abel is the lead thermal engineer on the DART mission. She oversees thermal design and analysis, thermal hardware procurement, fabrication and installation, and thermal testing of the spacec...
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Behind the Scenes: Outfitting the DART Spacecraft with Thermal Blankets, ft. Elisabeth Abel
Elisabeth Abel is the lead thermal engineer on the DART mission. She oversees thermal design and analysis, thermal hardware procurement, fabrication and installation, and thermal testing of the spacecraft. Outfitting a spacecraft like DART with thermal blankets is an important step in preparing the spacecraft for its journey through space – thermal blankets can keep it warm or cool, depending on the conditions it’s experiencing. See how the team at APL prepares the DART spacecraft for harsh temperatures in this behind-the-scenes video.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
Behind the Scenes: DART High Gain Antenna feat. Matthew Bray
Matthew Bray is the designer and lead engineer for the DART High Gain Antenna (HGA), following the antenna from concept to prototype, flight fabrication, and testing. The DART HGA is a wideband Radial...
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Behind the Scenes: DART High Gain Antenna feat. Matthew Bray
Matthew Bray is the designer and lead engineer for the DART High Gain Antenna (HGA), following the antenna from concept to prototype, flight fabrication, and testing. The DART HGA is a wideband Radial Line Slot Array (RLSA) that forms a narrow beam, allowing high throughput images to be downloaded from DART's DRACO instrument as the spacecraft approaches the Didymos asteroid system. Watch Matthew and his team install the HGA onto the DART spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
Behind the Scenes: NEXT-C Ion Engine Installation on DART
(feat. Lead Propulsion Engineer Jeremy John)
Meet Jeremy John, DART's lead propulsion engineer at APL.
Behind the Scenes: NEXT-C Ion Engine Installation on DART
(feat. Lead Propulsion Engineer Jeremy John)
Meet Jeremy John, DART's lead propulsion engineer at APL.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
Behind the Scenes: Assembling the DART Spacecraft (feat. Mechanical Systems Engineer Betsy Congdon)
Meet Betsy Congdon, DART's mechanical systems engineer at APL.
Behind the Scenes: Assembling the DART Spacecraft (feat. Mechanical Systems Engineer Betsy Congdon)
Meet Betsy Congdon, DART's mechanical systems engineer at APL.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
Animations
Animation of the Simulated Result of DART’s Impact
This movie shows the results of a simulation of DART’s impact event. The topography seen by the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) is represented as boulders (...
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Animation of the Simulated Result of DART’s Impact
This movie shows the results of a simulation of DART’s impact event. The topography seen by the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) is represented as boulders (blue) and finer-grained material (yellow). The movie shows one time from a 3D perspective, showing the complex ejecta rays that develop due to DART’s impact into the irregular topography.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/LLNL, Spheral simulation, Kathryn Kumamoto LLNL-VIDEO-845965
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/LLNL, Spheral simulation, Kathryn Kumamoto LLNL-VIDEO-845965
Animation of the Geometry of DART’s Impact (Lengthwise View)
This animation combines the local topography of Dimorphos as determined using Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) images and a model of the DART spacecraft orient...
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Animation of the Geometry of DART’s Impact (Lengthwise View)
This animation combines the local topography of Dimorphos as determined using Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) images and a model of the DART spacecraft oriented as it was at the time of impact to reveal how and when various components of the spacecraft hit the surface. Each solar array impacted a boulder, and the bus impacted the surface, all within microseconds of one another. These details establish the initial impact conditions that feed into models of the DART impact event, conditions that influence the ejecta and therefore the momentum enhancement factor. The large boulder in the foreground is Atabaque Saxum.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Animation of the Geometry of DART’s Impact (Side View)
This animation combines the local topography of Dimorphos as determined using Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) images and a model of the DART spacecraft orient...
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Animation of the Geometry of DART’s Impact (Side View)
This animation combines the local topography of Dimorphos as determined using Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) images and a model of the DART spacecraft oriented as it was at the time of impact to reveal how and when various components of the spacecraft hit the surface. Each solar array impacted a boulder, and the bus impacted the surface, all within microseconds of one another. These details establish the initial impact conditions that feed into models of the DART impact event, conditions that influence the ejecta and therefore the momentum enhancement factor. The large boulder in the foreground is Atabaque Saxum.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Post-impact view of Dimorphos’ orbit
This animation showing a highly magnified view of how Dimorphos’ orbit around Didymos is seen from Earth, approximately one week after the DART impact. Each time around the orbit, Dimorphos passes t...
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Post-impact view of Dimorphos’ orbit
This animation showing a highly magnified view of how Dimorphos’ orbit around Didymos is seen from Earth, approximately one week after the DART impact. Each time around the orbit, Dimorphos passes through the shadow cast by Didymos, and half an orbit later, briefly casts a shadow onto Didymos. In reality, only the combined light from both asteroids can be seen by telescopes. The graph shows how the total brightness dips slightly when either body is shadowed by the other. DART astronomers measure the time intervals between the dips that mark these eclipse events in order to determine the new period of the orbit.
Credit: NASA/APL/UMD
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Credit: NASA/APL/UMD
Orbital effect of DART's impact on Dimorphos
NASA's first planetary defense test mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), will impact the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos at roughly 14,000 miles per hour (22,530 kilometers per hour). This...
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Orbital effect of DART's impact on Dimorphos
NASA's first planetary defense test mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), will impact the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos at roughly 14,000 miles per hour (22,530 kilometers per hour). This animation shows conceptually how Dimorphos' orbit around its larger asteroid companion Didymos will change after DART's impact, from a larger orbit to a slightly smaller one that's several minutes shorter than the original.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Jon Emmerich
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Jon Emmerich
DART's Collision with Dimorphos (side view)
An animation taking a wide-angle view from the side as NASA's first planetary defense test mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), collides with the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos.
DART's Collision with Dimorphos (side view)
An animation taking a wide-angle view from the side as NASA's first planetary defense test mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), collides with the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Jon Emmerich
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Jon Emmerich
DART's Collision from DRACO and SMART Nav's Point of View
An animation from inside NASA's first planetary test mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), as it approaches and eventually collides with the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos. DART uses an au...
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DART's Collision from DRACO and SMART Nav's Point of View
An animation from inside NASA's first planetary test mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), as it approaches and eventually collides with the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos. DART uses an autonomous optical navigation system called the Small-body Maneuvering Autonomous Real Time Navigation (SMART Nav) system in combination with its high-resolution imager called the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) to autonomously guide the spacecraft into the asteroid.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Jon Emmerich
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Jon Emmerich
DART's Collision from Dimorphos' Point of View
NASA's first planetary defense test mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), will come racing into the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos at roughly 14,000 miles per hour (22,530 kilometers per h...
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DART's Collision from Dimorphos' Point of View
NASA's first planetary defense test mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), will come racing into the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos at roughly 14,000 miles per hour (22,530 kilometers per hour). In this animation, we see this collision from Dimorphos' point of view, first seeing its companion asteroid Didymos before looking out into space, where the DART spacecraft suddenly comes into view.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Jon Emmerich
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Jon Emmerich
DART's Collision with Dimorphos (back view)
An animation looking from behind as NASA's first planetary defense test mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), collides with the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos.
DART's Collision with Dimorphos (back view)
An animation looking from behind as NASA's first planetary defense test mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), collides with the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Jon Emmerich
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Jon Emmerich
LICIACube Activities
Animated clips of LICIACube deployment and subsequent flyby following DART's kinetic impact.
LICIACube Activities
Animated clips of LICIACube deployment and subsequent flyby following DART's kinetic impact.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
Telescopic Observations
An animation illustrating how observations by telescopes are able to measure the orbital period of Dimorphos about Didymos by measuring the changing brightness of the system over time.
Telescopic Observations
An animation illustrating how observations by telescopes are able to measure the orbital period of Dimorphos about Didymos by measuring the changing brightness of the system over time.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Candece Seling and Nate Rudolph
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Candece Seling and Nate Rudolph
DART Launch Sequence
Animated DART mission launch sequence
DART Launch Sequence
Animated DART mission launch sequence
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
Didymos Orbit
Animated clip of the Didymos system’s orbit around the Sun.
Didymos Orbit
Animated clip of the Didymos system’s orbit around the Sun.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
DART Animated Infographic
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
DART Animation
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Technology
Smarter Navigation on NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test
NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) will be the first-ever mission to test a way to protect Earth from an asteroid strike. But to ensure DART hits its harmless test target, scientists and...
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Smarter Navigation on NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test
NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) will be the first-ever mission to test a way to protect Earth from an asteroid strike. But to ensure DART hits its harmless test target, scientists and engineers at APL developed a guidance system unlike anything used on spacecraft before — a system that can direct a spacecraft entirely on its own without any human intervention.
SMART Nav is a set of computational algorithms on DART that, with the rest of the spacecraft's guidance and navigation system, will independently find the moonlet asteroid Dimorphos and guide the spacecraft into it. Scientists knew from the outset of DART's development that the mission would need an autonomous component, but it had to be very different — something that was free to self-inform and make decisions on its own.
Learn more about SMART Nav, the new technology that will help make DART’s kinetic impact with Dimorphos possible, in this interactive scrolling story: https://www.jhuapl.edu/interactive/navigating-double-asteroid-redirection-test-on-its-own.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Roll-Out Solar Array Technology on DART
NASA’s DART, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, recently had its massive solar array “wings” installed at APL. The Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) technology provides a compact form and light mas...
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Roll-Out Solar Array Technology on DART
NASA’s DART, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, recently had its massive solar array “wings” installed at APL. The Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) technology provides a compact form and light mass for launch. It will then deploy into two large arrays once DART is in space. Each “wing” extends 8.6 meters – just over 28 feet – in length. The solar arrays on DART will use the same technology tested on the International Space Station. Using ROSA as the structure, a small portion of the DART solar array is configured to demonstrate Transformational Solar Array technology.
The APL-developed Transformational Solar Array technology has very high-efficiency solar cells and reflective concentrators. This additional technology on ROSA will provide three times more power than current solar array capabilities. The Roll-Out Solar Arrays will provide power to the spacecraft, allowing it to direct itself into its target, the binary asteroid system Didymos. DART will be the first-ever space mission to demonstrate asteroid deflection by kinetic impactor.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Moving the DART Spacecraft to APL’s Thermal Vacuum Chamber
The DART spacecraft was moved to APL’s Thermal Vacuum Chamber for environmental testing in early February 2021.
Moving the DART Spacecraft to APL’s Thermal Vacuum Chamber
The DART spacecraft was moved to APL’s Thermal Vacuum Chamber for environmental testing in early February 2021.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Lee Hobson
DART Spacecraft Structure Ramps Up Integration and Testing at APL
The DART primary structure returned to APL on May 15 and was moved into a clean room. It will remain on campus for the next year, undergoing assembly and testing ahead of its summer 2021 launch.
DART Spacecraft Structure Ramps Up Integration and Testing at APL
The DART primary structure returned to APL on May 15 and was moved into a clean room. It will remain on campus for the next year, undergoing assembly and testing ahead of its summer 2021 launch.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
DART: Unboxing a Spacecraft Structure
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Photos
Telescopic Observations
Hubble Space Telescope View of the Didymos System: March, 2023
This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on March 1, 2023, showing the ejecta tail that developed following DART’s impact event.
Hubble Space Telescope View of the Didymos System: March, 2023
This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on March 1, 2023, showing the ejecta tail that developed following DART’s impact event.
Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
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Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
Hubble Space Telescope View of the Didymos System: 28 December, 2022
This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on December 28, 2022, showing the ejecta tail that developed following DART’s impact event.
Hubble Space Telescope View of the Didymos System: 28 December, 2022
This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on December 28, 2022, showing the ejecta tail that developed following DART’s impact event.
Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
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Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
Hubble Space Telescope View of the Didymos System: January, 2023
This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on January 19, 2023, showing the ejecta tail that developed following DART’s impact event.
Hubble Space Telescope View of the Didymos System: January, 2023
This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on January 19, 2023, showing the ejecta tail that developed following DART’s impact event.
Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
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Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
Hubble Space Telescope View of the Didymos System: November, 2022
This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on November 30, 2022, showing the ejecta tail that developed following DART’s impact event.
Hubble Space Telescope View of the Didymos System: November, 2022
This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on November 30, 2022, showing the ejecta tail that developed following DART’s impact event.
Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
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Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
Hubble Space Telescope View of the Didymos System: 14 December, 2022
This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on December 14, 2022, showing the ejecta tail that developed following DART’s impact event.
Hubble Space Telescope View of the Didymos System: 14 December, 2022
This image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on December 14, 2022, showing the ejecta tail that developed following DART’s impact event.
Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
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Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI
Didymos System on November 30, 2022
This image is constructed from several images taken on November 30, 2022 by astronomers at Magdalena Ridge Observatory in New Mexico, USA. It holds Didymos still in the frame, and thus the background ...
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Didymos System on November 30, 2022
This image is constructed from several images taken on November 30, 2022 by astronomers at Magdalena Ridge Observatory in New Mexico, USA. It holds Didymos still in the frame, and thus the background stars are seen as linear trails of dots. Average images like this can provide additional details to astronomers studying faint structures in the ejecta tail. This image is roughly 32,000 kilometers across the field of view at the distance of Didymos.
Credit: Magdalena Ridge Observatory/NM Tech
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Credit: Magdalena Ridge Observatory/NM Tech
Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
The bright line across the middle of these images, shows the asteroid Didymos. The images are views of the Didymos and Dimorphos binary asteroid system obtained from radar facilities at NASA Jet Propu...
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Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
The bright line across the middle of these images, shows the asteroid Didymos. The images are views of the Didymos and Dimorphos binary asteroid system obtained from radar facilities at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Goldstone planetary radar in California and the National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. Shown at left are Oct. 4, 2022, observations from Goldstone observations; at right are combined Goldstone and Green Bank observations from Oct. 9, 2022.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
The yellow box shows the asteroid Didymos. The images are views of the Didymos and Dimorphos binary asteroid system obtained from radar facilities at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Goldstone plane...
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Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
The yellow box shows the asteroid Didymos. The images are views of the Didymos and Dimorphos binary asteroid system obtained from radar facilities at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Goldstone planetary radar in California and the National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. Shown at left are Oct. 4, 2022, observations from Goldstone observations; at right are combined Goldstone and Green Bank observations from Oct. 9, 2022.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
The green circle shows the location of the Dimorphos asteroid, which orbits the larger asteroid, Didymos, seen here as the bright line across the middle of the images. The images show the Didymos and ...
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Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
The green circle shows the location of the Dimorphos asteroid, which orbits the larger asteroid, Didymos, seen here as the bright line across the middle of the images. The images show the Didymos and Dimorphos binary asteroid system obtained from radar facilities at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Goldstone planetary radar in California and the National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. Shown at left are Oct. 4, 2022, observations from Goldstone observations; at right are combined Goldstone and Green Bank observations from Oct. 9, 2022.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
The green circle shows the location of the Dimorphos asteroid, which orbits the larger asteroid, Didymos, seen here as the bright line across the middle of the images. The blue circle shows where Dimo...
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Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
The green circle shows the location of the Dimorphos asteroid, which orbits the larger asteroid, Didymos, seen here as the bright line across the middle of the images. The blue circle shows where Dimorphos would have been had its orbit not changed due to NASA’s DART mission purposefully impacting the smaller asteroid on Sept. 26, 2022. The images show the Didymos and Dimorphos binary asteroid system obtained from radar facilities at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Goldstone planetary radar in California and the National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. Shown at left are Oct. 4, 2022, observations from Goldstone observations; at right are combined Goldstone and Green Bank observations from Oct. 9, 2022.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
The images show a series of radar images captured at different times on Oct. 9, 2022, of the Didymos and Dimorphos binary asteroid system obtained from radar facilities at NASA Jet Propulsion Laborato...
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Goldstone and Green Bank Observations
The images show a series of radar images captured at different times on Oct. 9, 2022, of the Didymos and Dimorphos binary asteroid system obtained from radar facilities at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Goldstone planetary radar in California and the National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. Dimorphos, the smaller of the two asteroids, is circled in green. Didymos is seen as the brighter stripe across the middle.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/JPL/NASA JPL Goldstone Planetary Radar/National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory
Post-impact view from Hubble
This imagery from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope from Oct. 8, 2022, shows the debris blasted from the surface of Dimorphos 285 hours after the asteroid was intentionally impacted by NASA’s DART spa...
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Post-impact view from Hubble
This imagery from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope from Oct. 8, 2022, shows the debris blasted from the surface of Dimorphos 285 hours after the asteroid was intentionally impacted by NASA’s DART spacecraft on Sept. 26. The shape of that tail has changed over time. Scientists are continuing to study this material and how it moves in space, in order to better understand the asteroid.
Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI/Hubble
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Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI/Hubble
Aftermath of DART Collision with Dimorphos Captured by SOAR Telescope
Astronomers using the NSF’s NOIRLab’s SOAR telescope in Chile captured the vast plume of dust and debris blasted from the surface of the asteroid Dimorphos by NASA’s DART spacecraft when it impa...
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Aftermath of DART Collision with Dimorphos Captured by SOAR Telescope
Astronomers using the NSF’s NOIRLab’s SOAR telescope in Chile captured the vast plume of dust and debris blasted from the surface of the asteroid Dimorphos by NASA’s DART spacecraft when it impacted on 26 September 2022. In this image, the more than 10,000 kilometer long dust trail — the ejecta that has been pushed away by the Sun’s radiation pressure, not unlike the tail of a comet — can be seen stretching from the center to the right-hand edge of the field of view.
Credit: CTIO/NOIRLab/SOAR/NSF/AURA/T. Kareta (Lowell Observatory), M. Knight (US Naval Academy)
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Credit: CTIO/NOIRLab/SOAR/NSF/AURA/T. Kareta (Lowell Observatory), M. Knight (US Naval Academy)
Webb, Hubble Capture Detailed Views of DART Impact
These images, Hubble on the left and Webb on the right, show observations of the Didymos-Dimorphos system several hours after NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) intentionally impacted th...
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Webb, Hubble Capture Detailed Views of DART Impact
These images, Hubble on the left and Webb on the right, show observations of the Didymos-Dimorphos system several hours after NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) intentionally impacted the moonlet asteroid.
Credit: Science: NASA, ESA, CSA, Jian-Yang Li (PSI), Cristina Thomas (Northern Arizona University), Ian Wong (NASA-GSFC); image processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
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Credit: Science: NASA, ESA, CSA, Jian-Yang Li (PSI), Cristina Thomas (Northern Arizona University), Ian Wong (NASA-GSFC); image processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
Hubble Images Show Movement of Ejecta After Impact
These images from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, taken (left to right) 22 minutes, 5 hours, and 8.2 hours after NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) intentionally impacted Dimorphos, sho...
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Hubble Images Show Movement of Ejecta After Impact
These images from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, taken (left to right) 22 minutes, 5 hours, and 8.2 hours after NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) intentionally impacted Dimorphos, show expanding plumes of ejecta from the asteroid’s body. The Hubble images show ejecta from the impact that appear as rays stretching out from the body of the asteroid. The bolder, fanned-out spike of ejecta to the left of the asteroid is in the general direction from which DART approached. These observations, when combined with data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, will allow scientists to gain knowledge about the nature of the surface of Dimorphos, how much material was ejected by the collision, how fast it was ejected, and the distribution of particle sizes in the expanding dust cloud.
Credit: Science: NASA, ESA, Jian-Yang Li (PSI); image processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
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Credit: Science: NASA, ESA, Jian-Yang Li (PSI); image processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
DRACO
Dimorphos: High-Resolution Mosaic with Named Features
This high-resolution view of Dimorphos was created by combining the final 10 full-frame images obtained by DART’s Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) and layeri...
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Dimorphos: High-Resolution Mosaic with Named Features
This high-resolution view of Dimorphos was created by combining the final 10 full-frame images obtained by DART’s Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) and layering the higher-resolution images on top of the lower-resolution ones. Dimorphos is oriented so that its north pole is toward the top of the image.
Named features are labeled, as approved using the International Astronomical Union (IAU) nomenclature theme of percussion instruments.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Dimorphos: High-Resolution Mosaic
This high-resolution view of Dimorphos was created by combining the final 10 full-frame images obtained by DART’s Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) and layeri...
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Dimorphos: High-Resolution Mosaic
This high-resolution view of Dimorphos was created by combining the final 10 full-frame images obtained by DART’s Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) and layering the higher-resolution images on top of the lower-resolution ones. Dimorphos is oriented so that its north pole is toward the top of the image.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Didymos – North Up
A view of the asteroid Didymos, oriented with its north pole toward the top of the image; this product was produced using an image taken by the DRACO imager.
Didymos – North Up
A view of the asteroid Didymos, oriented with its north pole toward the top of the image; this product was produced using an image taken by the DRACO imager.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Dimorphos – North Up
A view of the asteroid Dimorphos, oriented with its north pole toward the top of the image; this product was produced using an image taken by the DRACO imager.
Dimorphos – North Up
A view of the asteroid Dimorphos, oriented with its north pole toward the top of the image; this product was produced using an image taken by the DRACO imager.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Didymos and Dimorphos – North Up
Views of the asteroids Dimorphos (left) and Didymos (right), oriented with their north poles toward the top of the image and with each asteroid and their distance to each other to scale; this product ...
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Didymos and Dimorphos – North Up
Views of the asteroids Dimorphos (left) and Didymos (right), oriented with their north poles toward the top of the image and with each asteroid and their distance to each other to scale; this product was produced by compiling two images taken by the DRACO imager.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Penultimate image
The last complete image of asteroid moonlet Dimorphos, taken by the DRACO imager on NASA's DART mission from ~7 miles (12 kilometers) from the asteroid and 2 seconds before impact. The image shows a p...
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Penultimate image
The last complete image of asteroid moonlet Dimorphos, taken by the DRACO imager on NASA's DART mission from ~7 miles (12 kilometers) from the asteroid and 2 seconds before impact. The image shows a patch of the asteroid that is 100 feet (31 meters) across. Dimorphos' north is toward the top of the image.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Final image
DART's final look at the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos before impact. The spacecraft’s on board DRACO imager took this final image ~4 miles (~6 kilometers) from the asteroid and only 1 second before im...
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Final image
DART's final look at the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos before impact. The spacecraft’s on board DRACO imager took this final image ~4 miles (~6 kilometers) from the asteroid and only 1 second before impact. DART's impact occurred during transmission of the image to Earth, resulting in a partial picture. The image shows a patch of the asteroid that is 51 feet 16 meters) across. Dimorphos' north is toward the top of the image.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Last image showing all of Didymos & Dimorphos
Asteroid Didymos (bottom right) and its moonlet, Dimorphos, about 2.5 minutes before the impact of NASA’s DART spacecraft. The image was taken by the onboard DRACO imager from a distance of 570 mile...
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Last image showing all of Didymos & Dimorphos
Asteroid Didymos (bottom right) and its moonlet, Dimorphos, about 2.5 minutes before the impact of NASA’s DART spacecraft. The image was taken by the onboard DRACO imager from a distance of 570 miles (920 kilometers). This image was the last to contain a complete view of both asteroids. Didymos is roughly 2,500 feet (780 meters) in diameter; Dimorphos is about 525 feet (160 meters) in length. Didymos’ and Dimorphos’ north is toward the top of the image.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Last image showing all of Dimorphos
Asteroid moonlet Dimorphos as seen by the DART spacecraft 11 seconds before impact. DART’s onboard DRACO imager captured this image from a distance of 42 miles (68 kilometers). This image was the la...
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Last image showing all of Dimorphos
Asteroid moonlet Dimorphos as seen by the DART spacecraft 11 seconds before impact. DART’s onboard DRACO imager captured this image from a distance of 42 miles (68 kilometers). This image was the last to contain all of Dimorphos in the field of view. Dimorphos is roughly 525 feet (160 meters) in length. Dimorphos’ north is toward the top of the image.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
DART Tests Autonomous Navigation System Using Jupiter and Europa
This is a cropped composite of a DART Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) image centered on Jupiter taken during tests of DART’s SMART Nav system. DART was abou...
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DART Tests Autonomous Navigation System Using Jupiter and Europa
This is a cropped composite of a DART Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) image centered on Jupiter taken during tests of DART’s SMART Nav system. DART was about 435 million miles (700 million kilometers) from Jupiter, and about 16 million miles (26 million kilometers) from Earth, when the image was taken. Two brightness and contrast stretches, made to optimize Jupiter and its moons, respectively, were combined to form this view. From left to right are Ganymede, Jupiter, Europa, Io and Callisto.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
DART Sets Sights on Asteroid Target
Composite of 243 images taken by DRACO on July 27, 2022, detecting Didymos.
DART Sets Sights on Asteroid Target
Composite of 243 images taken by DRACO on July 27, 2022, detecting Didymos.
Credit: JPL DART Navigation Team
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Credit: JPL DART Navigation Team
NASA's DART Captures One of Night Sky's Brightest Stars
On May 27, DART's high-resolution camera DRACO captured this image of Vega, one of the brightest stars in the night sky and one of the solar system's closest neighbors at just 25 light-years. The six ...
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NASA's DART Captures One of Night Sky's Brightest Stars
On May 27, DART's high-resolution camera DRACO captured this image of Vega, one of the brightest stars in the night sky and one of the solar system's closest neighbors at just 25 light-years. The six spikes around the star result from light bouncing off of the structure that holds DRACO's second mirror in place.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
NASA's DART Captures One of Night Sky's Brightest Stars
The DART team intentionally captured the star Vega just out of frame of its high-resolution DRACO camera in a test to see how light scatters off the camera's various parts. The halo-like glow around t...
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NASA's DART Captures One of Night Sky's Brightest Stars
The DART team intentionally captured the star Vega just out of frame of its high-resolution DRACO camera in a test to see how light scatters off the camera's various parts. The halo-like glow around the star's edge is a result of the light scattering off DART's various internal parts.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
With Its Single 'Eye,' NASA's DART Returns First Images From Space
On Dec. 10, DART’s DRACO camera captured and returned this image of the stars in Messier 38, or the Starfish Cluster, which lies some 4,200 light years away.
With Its Single 'Eye,' NASA's DART Returns First Images From Space
On Dec. 10, DART’s DRACO camera captured and returned this image of the stars in Messier 38, or the Starfish Cluster, which lies some 4,200 light years away.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
With Its Single 'Eye,' NASA's DART Returns First Images From Space
After opening the circular door to its telescopic imager, NASA’s DART captured this image of about a dozen stars near where the constellations Perseus, Aries and Taurus intersect.
With Its Single 'Eye,' NASA's DART Returns First Images From Space
After opening the circular door to its telescopic imager, NASA’s DART captured this image of about a dozen stars near where the constellations Perseus, Aries and Taurus intersect.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
LICIACube
LICIACube Enhanced Color Images of the Didymos System
These images were acquired by the LUKE camera on LICIACube about 3 minutes after DART’s impact into Dimorphos. These enhanced color representations of the Didymos system were created by combining im...
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LICIACube Enhanced Color Images of the Didymos System
These images were acquired by the LUKE camera on LICIACube about 3 minutes after DART’s impact into Dimorphos. These enhanced color representations of the Didymos system were created by combining images taken in the red, green, and blue wavelengths by LUKE; these enhanced color views do not represent how the asteroids would look to the human eye but serve to highlight color differences in the scene, which can provide information about the characteristics of the ejecta and the asteroids.
Credit: ASI/NASA
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Credit: ASI/NASA
LICIACube Shows Plumes of Ejecta
This image from ASI’s LICIACube show the plumes of ejecta streaming from the Dimorphos asteroid after NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirect Test, or DART, mission, made impact with it on Sept. 26, 2022....
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LICIACube Shows Plumes of Ejecta
This image from ASI’s LICIACube show the plumes of ejecta streaming from the Dimorphos asteroid after NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirect Test, or DART, mission, made impact with it on Sept. 26, 2022. Each rectangle represents a different level of contrast in order to better see fine structure in the plumes. By studying these streams of material, we will be able to learn more about the asteroid and the impact process.
Credit: ASI/NASA/APL
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Credit: ASI/NASA/APL
LICIACube's Closest Approach
ASI’s LICIACube satellite acquired this image just after its closest approach to the Dimorphos asteroid, after the Double Asteroid Redirect Test, or DART mission, made impact on Sep. 26, 2022. In th...
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LICIACube's Closest Approach
ASI’s LICIACube satellite acquired this image just after its closest approach to the Dimorphos asteroid, after the Double Asteroid Redirect Test, or DART mission, made impact on Sep. 26, 2022. In this image, it is possible to observe the Didymos and Dimorphos from a different perspective, which can be useful to determine the shapes of the asteroids.
Credit: ASI/NASA
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Credit: ASI/NASA
LICIACube's Closest Approach
ASI’s LICIACube satellite acquired this image just before its closest approach to the Dimorphos asteroid, after the Double Asteroid Redirect Test, or DART mission, purposefully made impact on Sep. 2...
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LICIACube's Closest Approach
ASI’s LICIACube satellite acquired this image just before its closest approach to the Dimorphos asteroid, after the Double Asteroid Redirect Test, or DART mission, purposefully made impact on Sep. 26, 2022. Didymos, Dimorphos, and the plume coming off of Dimorphos after DART impact are clearly visible.
Credit: ASI/NASA
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Credit: ASI/NASA
Post-Impact LICIACube First Press Images.
A LEIA image observing Didymos-Dimorphos and the plume (distance LICIACube-Dimorphos = 79.8 km)
Post-Impact LICIACube First Press Images.
A LEIA image observing Didymos-Dimorphos and the plume (distance LICIACube-Dimorphos = 79.8 km)
Credit: ASI/NASA
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Credit: ASI/NASA
Post-Impact LICIACube First Press Images.
LUKE image showing Didymos-Dimorphos and the plume (distance LICIACube-Dimorphos = 56.7 km)
Post-Impact LICIACube First Press Images.
LUKE image showing Didymos-Dimorphos and the plume (distance LICIACube-Dimorphos = 56.7 km)
Credit: ASI/NASA
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Credit: ASI/NASA
Post-Impact LICIACube First Press Images.
LUKE image showing Didymos-Dimorphos and the plume (distance LICIACube-Dimorphos = 56.7 km)
Post-Impact LICIACube First Press Images.
LUKE image showing Didymos-Dimorphos and the plume (distance LICIACube-Dimorphos = 56.7 km)
Credit: ASI/NASA
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Credit: ASI/NASA
Post-Impact LICIACube First Press Images.
LUKE image showing Didymos-Dimorphos and the plume (distance LICIACube-Dimorphos = 56.7 km)
Post-Impact LICIACube First Press Images.
LUKE image showing Didymos-Dimorphos and the plume (distance LICIACube-Dimorphos = 56.7 km)
Credit: ASI/NASA
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Credit: ASI/NASA
Ship and Launch Activities
NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DAR...
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NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DART took off Wednesday, Nov. 24, from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DAR...
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NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DART took off Wednesday, Nov. 24, from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DAR...
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NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DART took off Wednesday, Nov. 24, from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DAR...
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NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DART took off Wednesday, Nov. 24, from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DAR...
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NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DART took off Wednesday, Nov. 24, from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DAR...
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NASA's DART Spacecraft Launches in World's First Planetary Defense Test Mission
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft sets off to collide with an asteroid in the world's first full-scale planetary defense test mission. Riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, DART took off Wednesday, Nov. 24, from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
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Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Andy Cheng Watching the Launch
Andy Cheng, a Johns Hopkins APL planetary scientist and one of the DART investigation leads, reacts after the successful launch of the DART spacecraft. Cheng was the individual who came up with the id...
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Andy Cheng Watching the Launch
Andy Cheng, a Johns Hopkins APL planetary scientist and one of the DART investigation leads, reacts after the successful launch of the DART spacecraft. Cheng was the individual who came up with the idea of DART. He watched the launch from the Mission Operations Center at APL's Laurel, Maryland, campus.
Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Craig Weiman
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Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Craig Weiman
DART Encapsulated
Inside SpaceX’s Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, both halves of the Falcon 9 rocket’s protective payload fairing move toward NASA’s Double Asteroid Redir...
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DART Encapsulated
Inside SpaceX’s Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, both halves of the Falcon 9 rocket’s protective payload fairing move toward NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft on Nov. 16, 2021. The payload fairing, with the spacecraft securely inside, will be attached to the top of the Falcon 9 and will protect the spacecraft during launch and ascent.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Removed from Shipping Container
After moving to SpaceX’s payload processing facility on Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, DART team members carefully removed the spacecraft from its shipping container and moved it to a lo...
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DART Removed from Shipping Container
After moving to SpaceX’s payload processing facility on Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, DART team members carefully removed the spacecraft from its shipping container and moved it to a low dolly.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Spacecraft Lowered
DART team members carefully lower the DART spacecraft onto a low dolly in SpaceX’s payload processing facility on Vandenberg Space Force Base.
DART Spacecraft Lowered
DART team members carefully lower the DART spacecraft onto a low dolly in SpaceX’s payload processing facility on Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Packed and Ready to Move
DART packed and ready to move to SpaceX. DART team members stand outside Astrotech Space Operations’ processing facility with the shipment container holding the DART spacecraft. DART moved to SpaceX...
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DART Packed and Ready to Move
DART packed and ready to move to SpaceX. DART team members stand outside Astrotech Space Operations’ processing facility with the shipment container holding the DART spacecraft. DART moved to SpaceX’s payload processing facility late last month.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Arrives at Vandenberg
Placed in specialized container that was carefully strapped to the deck of a semitrailer truck, DART — followed by a small group of team members from Johns Hopkins APL — crossed the country from M...
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DART Arrives at Vandenberg
Placed in specialized container that was carefully strapped to the deck of a semitrailer truck, DART — followed by a small group of team members from Johns Hopkins APL — crossed the country from Maryland to Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. They arrived earlier this month.
Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Arrives at Vandenberg
Inside a clean room at Johns Hopkins APL, the DART spacecraft was moved into a specialized shipping container that headed across the country to Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc, California, whe...
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DART Arrives at Vandenberg
Inside a clean room at Johns Hopkins APL, the DART spacecraft was moved into a specialized shipping container that headed across the country to Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc, California, where DART is scheduled to launch from late next month.
Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
Integration and Testing
Install Assistance of LICIACube on behalf of the Italian Space Agency
Engineers Alessandro di Paola (left) and Silvio Patruno from the company Argotech came to help install LICIACube on behalf of the Italian Space Agency. Here, they stand with the DART spacecraft and th...
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Install Assistance of LICIACube on behalf of the Italian Space Agency
Engineers Alessandro di Paola (left) and Silvio Patruno from the company Argotech came to help install LICIACube on behalf of the Italian Space Agency. Here, they stand with the DART spacecraft and the fully installed box containing LICIACube (center) in a clean room at APL.
Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
Inspection the LICIACube CubeSat
DART team engineers lift and inspect the LICIACube CubeSat after it arrived at Johns Hopkins APL in August. The miniaturized satellite will deploy 10 days before DART's asteroid impact, providing esse...
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Inspection the LICIACube CubeSat
DART team engineers lift and inspect the LICIACube CubeSat after it arrived at Johns Hopkins APL in August. The miniaturized satellite will deploy 10 days before DART's asteroid impact, providing essential footage of the collision and subsequent plume of materials. Here, one of the solar panel arrays on the satellite's wings is visible.
Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
ROSA Final Inspection
In August 2021, DART team members at APL did a final inspection of one of the spacecraft's two roll-out solar arrays (ROSA). These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will...
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ROSA Final Inspection
In August 2021, DART team members at APL did a final inspection of one of the spacecraft's two roll-out solar arrays (ROSA). These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
ROSA Final Inspection
In August 2021, DART team members at APL did a final inspection of one of the spacecraft's two roll-out solar arrays (ROSA). These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will...
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ROSA Final Inspection
In August 2021, DART team members at APL did a final inspection of one of the spacecraft's two roll-out solar arrays (ROSA). These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
ROSA Final Inspection
In August 2021, DART team members at APL did a final inspection of one of the spacecraft's two roll-out solar arrays (ROSA). These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will...
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ROSA Final Inspection
In August 2021, DART team members at APL did a final inspection of one of the spacecraft's two roll-out solar arrays (ROSA). These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
ROSA Final Inspection
In August 2021, DART team members at APL did a final inspection of one of the spacecraft's two roll-out solar arrays (ROSA). These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will...
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ROSA Final Inspection
In August 2021, DART team members at APL did a final inspection of one of the spacecraft's two roll-out solar arrays (ROSA). These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
ROSA Release and Shock Test
The DART team at APL fire the locks on the spacecraft's roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in July 2021. These tests simulate the firing that will happen in space, ensuring the shock from the process won’...
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ROSA Release and Shock Test
The DART team at APL fire the locks on the spacecraft's roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in July 2021. These tests simulate the firing that will happen in space, ensuring the shock from the process won’t damage the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
ROSA Release and Shock Test
The DART team at APL fire the locks on the spacecraft's roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in July 2021. These tests simulate the firing that will happen in space, ensuring the shock from the process won’...
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ROSA Release and Shock Test
The DART team at APL fire the locks on the spacecraft's roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in July 2021. These tests simulate the firing that will happen in space, ensuring the shock from the process won’t damage the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Separation Shock Test
The APL DART team performs fit and shock tests on the DART spacecraft in July 2021. These tests ensure the spacecraft will properly fit onto the separation system that will connect DART to the launch ...
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DART Separation Shock Test
The APL DART team performs fit and shock tests on the DART spacecraft in July 2021. These tests ensure the spacecraft will properly fit onto the separation system that will connect DART to the launch vehicle and that it will safely kick away from the launch vehicle after launch.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Vibration Tests
Test engineers and the lead structural analyst on APL's DART team closely monitor real-time data of the various accelerations the spacecraft experiences during vibration tests in July 2021.
DART Vibration Tests
Test engineers and the lead structural analyst on APL's DART team closely monitor real-time data of the various accelerations the spacecraft experiences during vibration tests in July 2021.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Vibration Tests
Test engineers and the lead structural analyst on APL's DART team closely monitor real-time data of the various accelerations the spacecraft experiences during vibration tests in July 2021.
DART Vibration Tests
Test engineers and the lead structural analyst on APL's DART team closely monitor real-time data of the various accelerations the spacecraft experiences during vibration tests in July 2021.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
Pre-vibration Walkdown
Members of the DART team at APL carefully inspect the DART spacecraft prior to performing vibration tests in July 2021.
Pre-vibration Walkdown
Members of the DART team at APL carefully inspect the DART spacecraft prior to performing vibration tests in July 2021.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
Pre-vibration Walkdown
Members of the DART team at APL carefully inspect the DART spacecraft prior to performing vibration tests in July 2021.
Pre-vibration Walkdown
Members of the DART team at APL carefully inspect the DART spacecraft prior to performing vibration tests in July 2021.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
Pre-vibration Walkdown
Members of the DART team at APL carefully inspect the DART spacecraft prior to performing vibration tests in July 2021.
Pre-vibration Walkdown
Members of the DART team at APL carefully inspect the DART spacecraft prior to performing vibration tests in July 2021.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Tested on SpaceX Hardware
APL's DART team attaches the spacecraft to a part of SpaceX hardware. The test, performed in July 2021, ensures DART will fit and check out electrically with SpaceX's Falcon 9, the launch vehicle that...
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DART Tested on SpaceX Hardware
APL's DART team attaches the spacecraft to a part of SpaceX hardware. The test, performed in July 2021, ensures DART will fit and check out electrically with SpaceX's Falcon 9, the launch vehicle that will take the spacecraft into space.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
ROSA (Roll-Out Solar Array) Test
Members of APL's DART team perform a pop-and-catch test with one of DART's roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. The process involves first firing the frangibolt mechanisms that are holding the a...
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ROSA (Roll-Out Solar Array) Test
Members of APL's DART team perform a pop-and-catch test with one of DART's roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. The process involves first firing the frangibolt mechanisms that are holding the array so it begins to unfurl and then stopping the array before it fully unwinds. The process ensures the ROSA will properly deploy after DART launches.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
Mass Properties Testing
In July 2021, the DART spacecraft underwent mass properties testing, a process that isolates the spacecraft's center of mass and provides details about how mass is distributed around the spacecraft. T...
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Mass Properties Testing
In July 2021, the DART spacecraft underwent mass properties testing, a process that isolates the spacecraft's center of mass and provides details about how mass is distributed around the spacecraft. These details are critical to understanding how the spacecraft will move once in space.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" wil...
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DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" wil...
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DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" wil...
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DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" wil...
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DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" wil...
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DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" wil...
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DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" wil...
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DART Gets Its Second Wing
The DART team at APL inspect and prepare to install the second of the DART spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) in June 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolu...
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DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolution imager, derived from the LORRI camera on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, will measure the size and shape of Dimorphos, its target asteroid, and will feed the spacecraft's guidance system to autonomously direct the spacecraft to collision.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolu...
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DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolution imager, derived from the LORRI camera on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, will measure the size and shape of Dimorphos, its target asteroid, and will feed the spacecraft's guidance system to autonomously direct the spacecraft to collision.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolu...
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DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolution imager, derived from the LORRI camera on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, will measure the size and shape of Dimorphos, its target asteroid, and will feed the spacecraft's guidance system to autonomously direct the spacecraft to collision.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolu...
VIEW FULL CAPTION
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolution imager, derived from the LORRI camera on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, will measure the size and shape of Dimorphos, its target asteroid, and will feed the spacecraft's guidance system to autonomously direct the spacecraft to collision.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolu...
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DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolution imager, derived from the LORRI camera on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, will measure the size and shape of Dimorphos, its target asteroid, and will feed the spacecraft's guidance system to autonomously direct the spacecraft to collision.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolu...
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DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolution imager, derived from the LORRI camera on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, will measure the size and shape of Dimorphos, its target asteroid, and will feed the spacecraft's guidance system to autonomously direct the spacecraft to collision.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolu...
VIEW FULL CAPTION
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolution imager, derived from the LORRI camera on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, will measure the size and shape of Dimorphos, its target asteroid, and will feed the spacecraft's guidance system to autonomously direct the spacecraft to collision.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolu...
VIEW FULL CAPTION
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolution imager, derived from the LORRI camera on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, will measure the size and shape of Dimorphos, its target asteroid, and will feed the spacecraft's guidance system to autonomously direct the spacecraft to collision.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
close window
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolu...
VIEW FULL CAPTION
DRACO Integration to Spacecraft
DART team members at APL install and inspect DART's only instrument - the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) - onto the spacecraft in June 2021. This high-resolution imager, derived from the LORRI camera on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, will measure the size and shape of Dimorphos, its target asteroid, and will feed the spacecraft's guidance system to autonomously direct the spacecraft to collision.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its First Wing
The DART team at APL prepare to carefully maneuver the first of the spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) and install it on DART in May 2021. These compact, lightwei...
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DART Gets Its First Wing
The DART team at APL prepare to carefully maneuver the first of the spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) and install it on DART in May 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its First Wing
The DART team at APL prepare to carefully maneuver the first of the spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) and install it on DART in May 2021. These compact, lightwei...
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DART Gets Its First Wing
The DART team at APL prepare to carefully maneuver the first of the spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) and install it on DART in May 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its First Wing
The DART team at APL prepare to carefully maneuver the first of the spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) and install it on DART in May 2021. These compact, lightwei...
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DART Gets Its First Wing
The DART team at APL prepare to carefully maneuver the first of the spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) and install it on DART in May 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Gets Its First Wing
The DART team at APL prepare to carefully maneuver the first of the spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) and install it on DART in May 2021. These compact, lightwei...
VIEW FULL CAPTION
DART Gets Its First Wing
The DART team at APL prepare to carefully maneuver the first of the spacecraft's two 28-foot- (8.6-meter-) long roll-out solar arrays (ROSA) and install it on DART in May 2021. These compact, lightweight "wings" will deploy after DART launches and will collect solar energy to help power the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Enters the Thermal Vacuum Chamber
DART Enters the Thermal Vacuum Chamber
With the recent completion of its Pre Environmental Review, DART received the green light to move forward with environmental testing. The DART spacecraft was moved into a thermal vacuum chamber at the...
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DART Enters the Thermal Vacuum Chamber
With the recent completion of its Pre Environmental Review, DART received the green light to move forward with environmental testing. The DART spacecraft was moved into a thermal vacuum chamber at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in early February 2021, where it will spend the next month being subjected to extreme temperatures in preparation for the conditions it will face in space
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Enters the Thermal Vacuum Chamber
With the recent completion of its Pre Environmental Review, DART received the green light to move forward with environmental testing. The DART spacecraft was moved into a thermal vacuum chamber at the...
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DART Enters the Thermal Vacuum Chamber
With the recent completion of its Pre Environmental Review, DART received the green light to move forward with environmental testing. The DART spacecraft was moved into a thermal vacuum chamber at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in early February 2021, where it will spend the next month being subjected to extreme temperatures in preparation for the conditions it will face in space.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Enters the Thermal Vacuum Chamber
With the recent completion of its Pre Environmental Review, DART received the green light to move forward with environmental testing. The DART spacecraft was moved into a thermal vacuum chamber at the...
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DART Enters the Thermal Vacuum Chamber
With the recent completion of its Pre Environmental Review, DART received the green light to move forward with environmental testing. The DART spacecraft was moved into a thermal vacuum chamber at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in early February 2021, where it will spend the next month being subjected to extreme temperatures in preparation for the conditions it will face in space.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
Environmental Testing
Environmental Testing
The RLSA is a low-cost, high-gain antenna that enables high-efficiency communications in a compact form. From left, Steve Wenrich and Toomey finalize the installation of the RLSA on the DART spacecraf...
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Environmental Testing
The RLSA is a low-cost, high-gain antenna that enables high-efficiency communications in a compact form. From left, Steve Wenrich and Toomey finalize the installation of the RLSA on the DART spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
Environmental Testing
DART team members (from left) John Schellhase, Emory Toomey and Lloyd Ellis of APL inspect the radial line slot array (RLSA) antenna before installing it on the spacecraft.
Environmental Testing
DART team members (from left) John Schellhase, Emory Toomey and Lloyd Ellis of APL inspect the radial line slot array (RLSA) antenna before installing it on the spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
Environmental Testing
The DART spacecraft undergoes electromagnetic interference testing; from left, Alan Busbey performs measurements with Jackie Kilheffer overseeing the process.
Environmental Testing
The DART spacecraft undergoes electromagnetic interference testing; from left, Alan Busbey performs measurements with Jackie Kilheffer overseeing the process.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
NASA's NEXT-C (NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster-Commercial)
NASA's NEXT-C (NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster-Commercial) Ion Propulsion System Installation on DART
APL, which manages and is building NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), led the installation of NEXT-C onto the spacecraft on Nov. 10, with team members from Aerojet Rocketdyne on hand to...
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NASA's NEXT-C (NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster-Commercial) Ion Propulsion System Installation on DART
APL, which manages and is building NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), led the installation of NEXT-C onto the spacecraft on Nov. 10, with team members from Aerojet Rocketdyne on hand to support the process.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
NASA's NEXT-C (NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster-Commercial) Ion Propulsion System Installation on DART
The DART team lifted the thruster bracket assembly off of the assembly table and positioned it at the top of the spacecraft, a delicate and challenging move that required several team members to ensur...
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NASA's NEXT-C (NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster-Commercial) Ion Propulsion System Installation on DART
The DART team lifted the thruster bracket assembly off of the assembly table and positioned it at the top of the spacecraft, a delicate and challenging move that required several team members to ensure everything went smoothly. “This took some care as the thruster's propellant lines extended below the bottom of the bracket ring and could have been damaged if the lift was not performed properly,” said APL’s Jeremy John, lead propulsion engineer on DART.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
NASA's NEXT-C (NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster-Commercial) Ion Propulsion System Installation on DART
Once the NEXT-C thruster was safely lowered atop the spacecraft's central cylinder, fasteners were installed to secure the thruster to the DART spacecraft. The team then connected the electrical harne...
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NASA's NEXT-C (NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster-Commercial) Ion Propulsion System Installation on DART
Once the NEXT-C thruster was safely lowered atop the spacecraft's central cylinder, fasteners were installed to secure the thruster to the DART spacecraft. The team then connected the electrical harnesses and propellant lines between the thruster bracket assembly and the spacecraft. With DART successfully outfitted with NEXT-C, both propulsion systems are now fully installed on the spacecraft, and the next step will be to put the systems through environmental testing at APL.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
NEXT-C Ion Engine Testing - 2019
NEXT-C ion engine firing during thermal-vacuum (TVAC) testing at NASA Glenn Research Center in December 2019.
NEXT-C Ion Engine Testing - 2019
NEXT-C ion engine firing during thermal-vacuum (TVAC) testing at NASA Glenn Research Center in December 2019.
Credit: NASA Glenn Research Center/Aerojet Rocketdyne/NEXT–C
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Credit: NASA Glenn Research Center/Aerojet Rocketdyne/NEXT–C
NEXT-C Ion Engine Firing - 2017
NEXT–C ion engine during ground testing at NASA Glenn Research Center.
NEXT-C Ion Engine Firing - 2017
NEXT–C ion engine during ground testing at NASA Glenn Research Center.
Credit: NASA Glenn Research Center/Aerojet Rocketdyne/NEXT–C
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Credit: NASA Glenn Research Center/Aerojet Rocketdyne/NEXT–C
NEXT-C Ion Engine Firing - 2017
NEXT–C ion engine firing during testing at Aerospace Corporation in September 2017.
NEXT-C Ion Engine Firing - 2017
NEXT–C ion engine firing during testing at Aerospace Corporation in September 2017.
Credit: NASA Glenn Research Center/Aerojet Rocketdyne/NEXT–C
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Credit: NASA Glenn Research Center/Aerojet Rocketdyne/NEXT–C
DART Panel Closeout
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
DART Panel Closeout
As the integration and testing phase continues on the DART mission, the APL team carefully closes two of the DART spacecraft’s panels.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Integration
DART Panel Integration
The DART team prepares to integrate the spacecraft’s panels, which house an array of hardware and wiring that will eventually be tucked safely within the spacecraft structure. The panels were opened...
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DART Panel Integration
The DART team prepares to integrate the spacecraft’s panels, which house an array of hardware and wiring that will eventually be tucked safely within the spacecraft structure. The panels were opened to allow for efficient integration and testing
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Integration
The DART team prepares to integrate the spacecraft’s panels, which house an array of hardware and wiring that will eventually be tucked safely within the spacecraft structure. The panels were opened...
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DART Panel Integration
The DART team prepares to integrate the spacecraft’s panels, which house an array of hardware and wiring that will eventually be tucked safely within the spacecraft structure. The panels were opened to allow for efficient integration and testing.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Integration
The DART team prepares to integrate the spacecraft’s panels, which house an array of hardware and wiring that will eventually be tucked safely within the spacecraft structure. The panels were opened...
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DART Panel Integration
The DART team prepares to integrate the spacecraft’s panels, which house an array of hardware and wiring that will eventually be tucked safely within the spacecraft structure. The panels were opened to allow for efficient integration and testing.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Integration
The DART team prepares to integrate the spacecraft’s panels, which house an array of hardware and wiring that will eventually be tucked safely within the spacecraft structure. The panels were opened...
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DART Panel Integration
The DART team prepares to integrate the spacecraft’s panels, which house an array of hardware and wiring that will eventually be tucked safely within the spacecraft structure. The panels were opened to allow for efficient integration and testing.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Panel Integration
The DART team prepares to integrate the spacecraft’s panels, which house an array of hardware and wiring that will eventually be tucked safely within the spacecraft structure. The panels were opened...
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DART Panel Integration
The DART team prepares to integrate the spacecraft’s panels, which house an array of hardware and wiring that will eventually be tucked safely within the spacecraft structure. The panels were opened to allow for efficient integration and testing.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Control Room Testing
DART Control Room Testing
In the Ground System Equipment control room at APL, engineers perform tests and simulations on the DART spacecraft, which sits behind glass in the clean room.
DART Control Room Testing
In the Ground System Equipment control room at APL, engineers perform tests and simulations on the DART spacecraft, which sits behind glass in the clean room.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Control Room Testing
In the Ground System Equipment control room at APL, engineers perform tests and simulations on the DART spacecraft, which sits behind glass in the clean room.
DART Control Room Testing
In the Ground System Equipment control room at APL, engineers perform tests and simulations on the DART spacecraft, which sits behind glass in the clean room.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Control Room Testing
In the Ground System Equipment control room at APL, engineers perform tests and simulations on the DART spacecraft, which sits behind glass in the clean room.
DART Control Room Testing
In the Ground System Equipment control room at APL, engineers perform tests and simulations on the DART spacecraft, which sits behind glass in the clean room.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Control Room Testing
In the Ground System Equipment control room at APL, engineers perform tests and simulations on the DART spacecraft, which sits behind glass in the clean room.
DART Control Room Testing
In the Ground System Equipment control room at APL, engineers perform tests and simulations on the DART spacecraft, which sits behind glass in the clean room.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
APL Receives DART Spacecraft Structure
APL Receives DART Spacecraft Structure 4
"This milestone is the culmination of four years of work," said Jeremy John, DART's lead propulsion engineer, standing here (at right) with Juan Morales. "These last few months have presented several ...
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APL Receives DART Spacecraft Structure 4
"This milestone is the culmination of four years of work," said Jeremy John, DART's lead propulsion engineer, standing here (at right) with Juan Morales. "These last few months have presented several unexpected challenges that the teams at APL and Aerojet Rocketdyne were able to overcome successfully on the way to completing the propulsion system integration and acceptance testing."
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
APL Receives DART Spacecraft Structure 2
The DART team has spent the last month installing the electrical harness and subsystems onto the spacecraft panels, as well as testing the spacecraft's avionics and the software for its Small-body Man...
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APL Receives DART Spacecraft Structure 2
The DART team has spent the last month installing the electrical harness and subsystems onto the spacecraft panels, as well as testing the spacecraft's avionics and the software for its Small-body Maneuvering Autonomous Real Time Navigation (SMART Nav) system. The DART structure will eventually be outfitted with these subsystems and SMART Nav in the coming months. Pictured from left are Shelly Conkey, Lisa Wu, Betsy Congdon and Steve Wenrich.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
APL Receives DART Spacecraft Structure 3
The Lab has remained operational during the COVID-19 outbreak to continue to support critical work on-site, including the DART mission ahead of its 2021 launch. The mission's Integration and Test team...
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APL Receives DART Spacecraft Structure 3
The Lab has remained operational during the COVID-19 outbreak to continue to support critical work on-site, including the DART mission ahead of its 2021 launch. The mission's Integration and Test team has taken additional safety precautions, including staggering shifts to limit the number of people working together at once and wearing additional protective gear. Pictured from left are Emory Toomey, Lisa Wu, Shelly Conkey, Juan Morales, Steve Wenrich and Betsy Congdon.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
APL Receives DART Spacecraft Structure 1
The DART team — including (from left) Emory Toomey, Shelly Conkey, Lisa Wu and Steve Wenrich — oversaw the careful move of the refrigerator-sized spacecraft structure to a clean room on APL's camp...
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APL Receives DART Spacecraft Structure 1
The DART team — including (from left) Emory Toomey, Shelly Conkey, Lisa Wu and Steve Wenrich — oversaw the careful move of the refrigerator-sized spacecraft structure to a clean room on APL's campus.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman
DART Unboxed 1
DART's mechanical engineering team (from left): Amber Dubill, John Schellhase, Kurt Gantz, Neal Bachtell, Shelly Conkey, Katherine Scherck, Chip Delmar, Betsy Congdon, Doug Ramsay, Lisa Wu, and Juan M...
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DART Unboxed 1
DART's mechanical engineering team (from left): Amber Dubill, John Schellhase, Kurt Gantz, Neal Bachtell, Shelly Conkey, Katherine Scherck, Chip Delmar, Betsy Congdon, Doug Ramsay, Lisa Wu, and Juan Morales
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
DART Unboxed 2
DART's primary structure arrived from Alliance Space Systems in California. The APL mechanical engineering team prepared to carefully unbox what is essentially the body of the spacecraft, an aluminum ...
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DART Unboxed 2
DART's primary structure arrived from Alliance Space Systems in California. The APL mechanical engineering team prepared to carefully unbox what is essentially the body of the spacecraft, an aluminum honeycomb structure measuring about 6.5 feet on each side.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
DART Unboxed 3
After removing paneling, the team surveyed the DART primary structure before preparing it for testing.
DART Unboxed 3
After removing paneling, the team surveyed the DART primary structure before preparing it for testing.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Ground-Based Telescopes
Graphics
Miscellaneous
Simulated Result of DART’s Impact
This graphic shows the results of a simulation of DART’s impact event. The topography seen by the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) is represented as boulders...
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Simulated Result of DART’s Impact
This graphic shows the results of a simulation of DART’s impact event. The topography seen by the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) is represented as boulders (blue) and finer-grained material (yellow). The graphic shows one snapshot in time, showing the complex ejecta rays that develop due to DART’s impact into the irregular topography.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/LLNL, Spheral simulation, Kathryn Kumamoto LLNL-VIDEO-845965
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/LLNL, Spheral simulation, Kathryn Kumamoto LLNL-VIDEO-845965
Input for Simulation of DART’s Impact
These graphics show the initial set-up used as input to run a simulation of DART’s impact event. The topography seen by DART’s Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DR...
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Input for Simulation of DART’s Impact
These graphics show the initial set-up used as input to run a simulation of DART’s impact event. The topography seen by DART’s Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) is represented as boulders (blue) and finer-grained material (yellow), with the full view of Dimorphos on the left and a close-up view of the impact site on the right.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/LLNL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/LLNL
The DART Spacecraft Immediately Before Impact
This close-up rendering combines the local topography of Dimorphos as determined using Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) images and a model of the DART spacecra...
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The DART Spacecraft Immediately Before Impact
This close-up rendering combines the local topography of Dimorphos as determined using Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO) images and a model of the DART spacecraft oriented as it was at the time of impact, to investigate which component of the spacecraft bus was first to make contact with the surface of Dimorphos.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Location of DART's Impact
This image depicts the footprint of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft and its two long solar panels over the spot where it impacted asteroid Dimorphos. The largest boulder near th...
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Location of DART's Impact
This image depicts the footprint of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft and its two long solar panels over the spot where it impacted asteroid Dimorphos. The largest boulder near the impact site is about 6.5 meters (21 feet) across. DART took the underlying image three seconds before impact.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Geometry of DART's impact
When the DART spacecraft slammed into asteroid Dimorphos, the spacecraft body hit between two large boulders while its two solar panels impacted those boulders. The yellow surface is a digital terrain...
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Geometry of DART's impact
When the DART spacecraft slammed into asteroid Dimorphos, the spacecraft body hit between two large boulders while its two solar panels impacted those boulders. The yellow surface is a digital terrain model of the impact site made from DART images, and the rendering of the DART spacecraft depicts its position a few tens of microseconds before impact. The white line extending from the back of the spacecraft shows the spacecraft’s trajectory. The spacecraft body, or bus, was about 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) from front to back.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Comparison of Pre- and Post-Impact Near-Infrared Spectra of the Didymos-Dimorphos System
The two spectra shown were taken on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The data were obtained before and after impact (September 26 & 27, 3:00 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time). The p...
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Comparison of Pre- and Post-Impact Near-Infrared Spectra of the Didymos-Dimorphos System
The two spectra shown were taken on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The data were obtained before and after impact (September 26 & 27, 3:00 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time). The pre-impact spectrum is dominated by light from Didymos (~96% of the total brightness). Due to the large amount of ejected material, the post-impact spectrum contains approximately two-thirds flux from Dimorphos material. Both spectra show similar characteristics including the two large absorption features at 1 and 2-microns. These spectra are classified as S-complex and are similar to the spectra of ordinary chondrite meteorites.
Credit: NASA Infrared Telescope Facility/Weizmann Institute of Science/Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Credit: NASA Infrared Telescope Facility/Weizmann Institute of Science/Massachusetts Institute of Technology
DART and LICIACube with Images of Dimorphos and Didymos
Illustration of NASA’s DART spacecraft and the Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) LICIACube, with images of the asteroids Dimorphos and Didymos obtained by the DART spacecraft.
DART and LICIACube with Images of Dimorphos and Didymos
Illustration of NASA’s DART spacecraft and the Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) LICIACube, with images of the asteroids Dimorphos and Didymos obtained by the DART spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Joshua Diaz
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Joshua Diaz
Analyzing Dimorphos' orbit after impact
This chart offers insight into data the DART team used to determine the orbit of Dimorphos after impact – specifically, small reductions in brightness due to eclipses of Didymos and Dimorphos. The n...
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Analyzing Dimorphos' orbit after impact
This chart offers insight into data the DART team used to determine the orbit of Dimorphos after impact – specifically, small reductions in brightness due to eclipses of Didymos and Dimorphos. The new observations show the Dimorphos eclipses occur at different times (green arrows) than if the period were unchanged (gray arrows). The top timeline shows observations the DART team used to determine Dimorphos’ new orbital period, with two sets of that data (from Sept. 29, 2022, and Oct. 4, 2022) shown in detail. The observed decreases in relative brightness for each night’s dataset correspond to Dimorphos eclipses from a new orbital period of 11 hours and 23 minutes – demonstrating that the eclipse timing differs from pre-impact period of 11 hours and 55 minutes.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic/Lowell Observatory/JPL/Las Cumbres Observatory/Las Campanas Observatory/European Southern Observatory Danish (1.54-m) telescope/University of Edinburgh/The Open University/Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción/Seoul National Observatory/Universidad de Antofagasta/Universität Hamburg/Northern Arizona University
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic/Lowell Observatory/JPL/Las Cumbres Observatory/Las Campanas Observatory/European Southern Observatory Danish (1.54-m) telescope/University of Edinburgh/The Open University/Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción/Seoul National Observatory/Universidad de Antofagasta/Universität Hamburg/Northern Arizona University
Telescopes of the Post-Impact Observation Campaign
Graphic of the over three dozen telescopic facilities in space and around the globe that are planned to observe the Didymos asteroid system in support of DART’s global observation campaign after imp...
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Telescopes of the Post-Impact Observation Campaign
Graphic of the over three dozen telescopic facilities in space and around the globe that are planned to observe the Didymos asteroid system in support of DART’s global observation campaign after impact. These observations will confirm if DART’s impact successfully deflected the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos and decreased its orbital period around its asteroid companion Didymos, as well as characterize the double asteroid system and the ejecta produced from DART's impact.. Numerical figures in parentheses next to telescope names indicate the telescope size.
Telescopes involved in the observation campaign include the following (alphabetically by state/country) – Antarctica: Antarctic Search for Transiting ExoPlanets (ASTEP); Arizona: Lowell Discovery Telescope (LDT), Lowell Observatory 42-inch Hall telescope; Spacewatch, University of Arizona; Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope(VATT); Argentina: Bosque Alegre Astrophysics Station (EABA), Jorge Sahade Telescope at the El Leoncito Astronomical Complex; Australia: Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT); California: Table Mountain Observatory (TMO) and the Goldstone Observatory; Palomar Observatory; Canary Islands: Galileo National Telescope (TNG), Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT); Czechia: Ondrejov; Chile: Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) Radio Telescope, Very Large Telescope (VLT), Magellan Clay Telescope, Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR), La Silla Observatory, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT), Swope Telescope;Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS); Georgia: Abastumani; Hawaii: NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF);Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS); Faulkes North; Israel: Wise Observatory; Italy: Asiago Astrophysical Observatory; Kenya: DART-OPTiK team; Massachusetts: Sugarloaf Mt.; Morocco: TRAnsiting Planets and PlanetesImals Small Telecope (TRAPPIST)-North; Namibia: Drebach-South Observatory, Springbok Observatory; New Mexico: Magdalena Ridge Observatory (MRO); New Zealand: University of Canterbury Mount John Observatory; Qatar: Qatar University; Réunion Island: Les Makes Observatory; Slovakia: Stará Lesná; South Africa: South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT), Small Aperture Robotic Telescope Network (SMARTnet), Watcher Telescope; Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS); South Korea: Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy Observatory (BOAO); Texas: Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT); Uzbekistan: Maidanak; West Virginia: Green Bank Observatory. Space Telescopes: Hubble Space Telescope (HST), James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), NASA’s Lucy mission spacecraft; Turkey: TÜBiTAK National Observatory (TUG).
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Nancy Chabot/Mike Halstad
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Nancy Chabot/Mike Halstad
DART and ASI’s LICIACube at Didymos System
Illustration of NASA’s DART spacecraft and the Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) LICIACube prior to impact at the Didymos binary system.
DART and ASI’s LICIACube at Didymos System
Illustration of NASA’s DART spacecraft and the Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) LICIACube prior to impact at the Didymos binary system.
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
Illustration of DART 1
Illustration of DART, from behind
Illustration of DART 1
Illustration of DART, from behind
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
DART Collision
Illustration of DART on course to impact Dimorphos, viewed from the side of Dimorphos
DART Collision
Illustration of DART on course to impact Dimorphos, viewed from the side of Dimorphos
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Illustration of DART 2
Illustration of DART, from behind the NEXT–C ion engine
Illustration of DART 2
Illustration of DART, from behind the NEXT–C ion engine
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
DART Impact Infographic
Infographic showing the effect of DART's impact on the orbit of Dimorphos
DART Impact Infographic
Infographic showing the effect of DART's impact on the orbit of Dimorphos
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
Planetary Defense
DART is one part of NASA's larger planetary defense efforts.
Planetary Defense
DART is one part of NASA's larger planetary defense efforts.
Credit: NASA
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Credit: NASA
Infographic of DART and Didymos Sizes
Infographic showing the sizes of the two asteroids in the Didymos system relative to some objects on Earth
Infographic of DART and Didymos Sizes
Infographic showing the sizes of the two asteroids in the Didymos system relative to some objects on Earth
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL
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