Gallery

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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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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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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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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High-Resolution 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. The views of Didymos and Dimorphos are both mosaics of DRACO images, assembled by layering the higher-resolution images on top of the lower-resolution ones. The height of Dimorphos is roughly 113 m and the height of Didymos is roughly 607 m.

Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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DART’s Small Satellite Companion Tests Camera Prior to Dimorphos Impact

Image of the Earth acquired by LICIACube’s LEIA camera on Sept. 21, 2022.

Credit: ASI/NASA

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DART’s Small Satellite Companion Tests Camera Prior to Dimorphos Impact

Image of the Pleiades star cluster acquired by LICIACube’s LUKE camera on Sept. 22, 2022.

Credit: ASI/NASA

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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