Didymos, the double-asteroid formation that contains its target, Dimorphos, was observed by NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission for the first time. DART will purposefully collide with Didymos’ asteroid moonlet Dimorphos on September 26. This marks the first test of the energetic impact method, which uses a spaceship to divert an asteroid for planet defense, although the asteroid does not pose a threat to Earth.
The Disymos system is still quite far away from DART – about 20 million miles distant – and navigation camera scientists weren’t sure if DRACO could see the asteroid just yet. However, the scientists improved it and uncovered Didymos by combining the 243 photographs DRACO captured throughout this observational series. DART will finally rely on its ability to view and directly relate to Didymos and Dimorphos when it too is visible to advise the spaceship toward the asteroid, particularly in the last four hours before actual impact. It is true even though the team has already carried out several steering simulations using non-DRACO images of Didymos. DART will then need to self-navigate to collide with Dimorphos without human assistance effectively.
The DART team will perform three trajectory adjustment maneuvers during the next three weeks, and each movement will help significantly lower the error margin for the spacecraft’s necessary trajectory to hit. The navigational team will be able to pinpoint the target Dimorphos’ location within 2 km. after the final maneuver on September 25, which will take place about 24 hours before impact. DART will be left to direct itself towards its crash with the asteroid moonlet.
