NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test gives hope that the technological advancement can prevent extraterrestrial threats. Explain (200 Words)
Refer - The Hindu
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 2 years
KEY POINTS
· For the very first time, NASA scientists have succeeded in slightly altering the trajectory of an asteroid by using a spacecraft to slam into it.
· DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) was aimed at a 160-metre-wide asteroid Dimorphos, which was orbiting a larger asteroid Didymos, both of which were circling the sun, 11.2 million kilometres from the earth.
· Since neither body would have come closer than about 6.4 million km of the earth in their lifetime, they did not pose any threat.
· However, DART was a test mission to see if this technique, known as kinetic impactor, would give the necessary ‘nudge’ to an asteroid and alter its course by a desired amount.
· The reason for this test is to learn how to use the kinetic impactor technique to ‘nudge’ earth-bound asteroids out of the way, years before impact.
· The other question is whether this technique can be used to deflect asteroids bearing rich bounties of minerals and moving them to closer locations from where these can be harvested.
· It is to be hoped that this demonstration of the power of engineering and science can be extrapolated to ‘kick-start’ a move to avoid the drastic impact of such disasters too.
PANDI SANTHOSH RAJA S 2 years
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Sangeetha R 2 years
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yogendra pratap singh 2 years
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K. V. A 2 years
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IAS Parliament 2 years
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