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NASA craft collides with asteroid in test of planetary defense

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) was the first mission to attempt to push a dangerous object out of the way by means of a direct experiment, according to space mission director Thomas Zurbuchen. Shortly after the collision at 2314 GMT Monday, NASA tweeted "impact success" as the "vending machine-sized spacecraft successfully collides with asteroid Dimorphos, which is the size of a football stadium" and poses no threat to Earth.

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NASA scientist Lori Glaze said the real scientific work begins after the impact. Researchers must now investigate whether Dimorphos' roughly 12-hour orbit has changed as a result of the probe's impact and if so, to what extent. The mission is designed to ensure the asteroid poses no danger even after the probe hits it. NASA hopes to gain insights from the mission into how Earth could be protected from a near-Earth object (NEO) – meaning an asteroid or comet – that could approach our orbit.