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DART Mission Reveals Risks of Asteroid Deflection

9/15/2025

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Summary

Story summary

NASA's DART mission successfully changed the orbit of the asteroid Dimorphos in 2022 through a collision.
Research shows that misdirected deflection attempts may cause asteroids to eventually collide with Earth via "gravitational keyholes."
University of Illinois scientists created "probability maps" to pinpoint optimal impact zones on asteroids.
The DART impact released 35.3 million pounds of debris, altering Dimorphos' trajectory.
Future missions must account for asteroid structure, as rubble piles behave differently than solid rocks.

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Story summary

NASA's DART mission successfully changed the orbit of the asteroid Dimorphos in 2022 through a collision.
Research shows that misdirected deflection attempts may cause asteroids to eventually collide with Earth via "gravitational keyholes."
University of Illinois scientists created "probability maps" to pinpoint optimal impact zones on asteroids.
The DART impact released 35.3 million pounds of debris, altering Dimorphos' trajectory.
Future missions must account for asteroid structure, as rubble piles behave differently than solid rocks.