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NASA's DART Mission Successfully Alters Asteroid Orbit

3/6/2026

50 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

NASA's DART mission altered the orbit of Dimorphos, demonstrating potential for planetary defense.
In September 2022, DART crashed into Dimorphos, changing its orbit around Didymos by 32 minutes.
Recent findings show the impact also shifted the pair's solar trajectory, slowing it about 0.15 seconds.
The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft will study these effects after arriving in November 2026.

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Story summary

NASA's DART mission altered the orbit of Dimorphos, demonstrating potential for planetary defense.
In September 2022, DART crashed into Dimorphos, changing its orbit around Didymos by 32 minutes.
Recent findings show the impact also shifted the pair's solar trajectory, slowing it about 0.15 seconds.
The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft will study these effects after arriving in November 2026.