The scientists at NASA are getting prepared for the world's first mission of planetary defence test, inviting people to watch it live.
DART, the agency's Double Asteroid Redirection Test, will be testing the technology to defend the Earth against possible asteroids and comets in the future.
The test will consist of intentionally crashing the spacecraft at more than 20,000 kilometers per hour into an asteroid that does not pose any threat to Earth.
The test aims to demonstrate that a spacecraft can navigate towards a certain asteroid autonomously and strike it, disintegrating and changing the asteroid's speed and path, which is planned to be tracked by telescopes on Earth.
The event is planned on September 26 and NASA is planning to stream it, inviting people to attend on its website, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The agency will also be hosting an in-person event.
On Sept. 26, @NASA's #DARTMission will impact an asteroid, which poses no threat to Earth, as humanity's first test for #PlanetaryDefense. 🌎
— NASA Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) August 23, 2022
Learn more on how to join us for a multitude of events starting Sept. 12 as we countdown to DART impact: https://t.co/OhqJLa7LST pic.twitter.com/C6tXz8VD0K
The $330 million small probe was launched last fall, around 11 million kilometers away from the Earth, along with smaller spacecraft called LICIACube.
LICIACube is planned to be released 10 days before DART hits the asteroid to be able to capture the collision and the debris following it.
Officials are hopeful that DART will be providing useful data for the researchers in a bid to prepare for a possible more dangerous asteroid in the future.
It is right now estimated that there are around 25,000 asteroids near Earth that are bigger than 150 meters.
