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NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft is designed to be a one hit wonder. It will end its days by crashing into an asteroid at 24,000 kilometres per hour on September 26. Launched from Earth in November 2021, DART is about the size of a bus and was created to test and prove our ability to defend Earth from a dangerous asteroid.

Landing a direct hit on a target from 11 million kilometres away isn’t easy. But while this sounds far, the asteroid was actually selected by NASA because it is relatively close to Earth. This will give engineers the opportunity to test the spacecraft’s ability to operate itself in the final stages before the impact, as it crashes autonomously.

The target asteroid is called Dimorphos, a body 163 metres in diameter that’s orbiting a 780 metre-wide asteroid called Didymos. This “binary asteroid system” was chosen because Dimorphos is in orbit around Didymos, which makes it easier to measure the result of the impact due to the resulting change in its orbit. However, the Dimorphos system does not currently pose any risk to the Earth.

Regardless, NASA is attempting nothing less than a full scale planetary defence experiment to change an asteroid’s path. The technique being used is called “kinetic impact”, which alters the orbit of the asteroid by crashing into it. That’s essentially what is known as a safety shot in snooker, but played on a planetary level between the spacecraft (as the cue ball) and the asteroid.

A tiny deflection could be sufficient to prove that this technique can actually change the path of an asteroid on a collision path with the Earth.

But the DART spacecraft is going to be completely blown apart by the collision because it will have an impact equivalent to about three tonnes of TNT. In comparison, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima was equal to 15,000 tonnes of TNT.

So, with this level destruction and the distance involved, how will we be able to see the crash? Luckily, the DART spacecraft is not travelling alone on its quest, it is carrying LICIACube, a shoebox-size mini spacecraft, known as a cubesat, developed by the Italian Space Agency and aerospace engineering company Argotec. This little companion has recently separated from the DART spacecraft and is now travelling on its own to witness the impact at a safe distance of 55km.

Never before has a cubesat operated around asteroids so this provides new potential ways of exploring space in the future. The impact will also be observed from Earth using telescopes. Combined, these methods will enable scientists to confirm whether the operation has been successful.

It might, however, take weeks for LICIACube to send all images back to Earth. This period will be utterly nerve wracking – waiting for good news from a spacecraft is always an emotional time for an engineer.

What happens next? An investigation team will look at the aftermath of the crash. These scientists will aim to measure the changes in Dimorphos’ motion around Didymos by observing its orbital period. This is the time during which Dimorphos passes in front and behind Didymos, which will happen every 12 hours.

Ground telescopes will aim to capture images of the Dimorphos’ eclipse as this happens. To cause a significant enough deflection, DART must create at least a 73-second orbital period change after impact – visible as changes in the frequencies of the eclipses.

These measurements will ultimately determine how effective “kinetic impact” technology is in deflecting a potentially hazardous asteroid – we simply don’t know yet.

This is because we actually know very little of the asteroids’ composition. The great uncertainty around how strong Dimorphosis is has made designing a bullet spacecraft a truly enormous engineering challenge. Based on ground observation, the Didymos system is suspected to be a rubble-pile made up of lots of different rocks, but its internal structure is unknown.

There are also great uncertainties about the outcome of the impact. Material ejected afterwards will contribute to the effects of the crash, providing an additional force. We don’t know whether a crater will be formed by the impact or if the asteroid itself will suffer major deformation, meaning we can’t be sure how much force the collision will unleash.

Future missions Our exploration of the asteroid system does not end with DART. The European Space Agency is set to launch the Hera mission in 2024, arriving at Didymos in early 2027 to take a close look at the remaining impact effects.

By observing the deformations caused by the DART impact on Dimorphos, the Hera spacecraft will gain a better understanding of its composition and formation. Knowledge of the internal properties of objects such as Didymos and Dimorphos will also help us better understand the danger they might pose to Earth in the event of an impact.

Ultimately, the lessons from this mission will help verify the mechanics of a high-velocity impact. While laboratory experiments and computer models can already help validate scientists’ impact predictions, full-scale experiments in space such as DART are the closest we will get to the whole picture. Finding out as much as we can about asteroids will help us understand what force we need to hit them with to deflect them.

The DART mission has led to worldwide cooperation among scientists hoping to address the global issue of planetary defence and, together with my colleagues on the DART investigation team, we aim to analyse the impact effects. My own focus will be on studying the motion of the material that is ejected from the impact.

The spacecraft impact is scheduled for September 26 at 19:14 Eastern Daylight Time (00:14 British Summer Time on September 27). You can follow the impact on NASA TV.


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Massive Steam Plume Spotted at Alaska’s Mount Spurr as Volcano May Erupt Soon

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Massive Steam Plume Spotted at Alaska’s Mount Spurr as Volcano May Erupt Soon

A large steam plume has been seen emerging from Mount Spurr in Alaska, signalling increased volcanic activity. Images shared by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) on March 28 confirmed steam and gas emissions visible from the volcano’s summit and a northern vent. The volcano is located around 80 miles west of Anchorage and stands at 11,070 feet high. The experts have revealed that there could be a possible eruption in the coming weeks or months. However, nothing is certain yet.

Increased Signs of Unrest Reported

According to the latest update by the Alaska Volcano Observatory steam was observed rising from the summit on March 26. A smaller plume was also recorded from a fumarole on the volcano’s northern flank. No immediate changes in seismic activity or gas levels were detected during these observations as per the AVO statement.

The AVO had earlier mentioned in a March 11 update that a noticeable rise in gas emissions indicates fresh magma has moved into the crust beneath Mount Spurr. This has led scientists to assess the chance of an eruption in the near future. The observatory clarified that the exact timing of any eruption cannot be predicted yet.

Hazards and Possible Alerts

The observatory has cautioned that the volcano’s alert level might be raised if there are further signs of escalation. According to AVO, this may include persistent seismic tremors, increased gas emissions or visible surface changes. If an eruption occurs, possible hazards include ash clouds impacting flights, ashfall across nearby areas, pyroclastic flows and mudflows known as lahars.

The volcano last erupted in 1992. That eruption resulted in heavy ashfall and affected air travel in the region. AVO has advised residents and visitors to stay informed and follow safety instructions if alerts are raised.

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Study Identifies Plasma Formation as a Pseudostreamer

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Study Identifies Plasma Formation as a Pseudostreamer

A towering spiral of plasma has been recorded extending millions of kilometres from the Sun. The video was taken by the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter during an eight-hour period on October 12, 2022. A coronal mass ejection caused the plasma to rise from the Sun’s surface. The footage captured something which was never observed before. It showed a swirling motion in the solar wind. As per the latest report, scientists also recorded bright streaks that were moving across the frame. Researchers also revealed that these streaks appeared as pixelated lines, which might also ressemble like UFOs. Scientists later confirmed they were distant stars visible due to the imaging process.

Study Identifies Plasma Formation as a Pseudostreamer

The study published in The Astrophysical Journal revealed that the massive structure that appeared in the photos was a large pseudostreamer. It was formed near the Sun’s north pole after a solar flare erupted. The report further highlighted that the plasma reached 1.5 times the Sun’s width and remained visible for three hours. Scientists believes the twisting movement of the plasma was due to Alfvénic fluctuations. These fluctuations happen when waves of charged particles respond to magnetic disturbances. Scientists says the pseudostreamer’s location influenced its unique shape. Magnetic fields at the Sun’s poles are stronger than those near the equator.

Unusual Streaks Explained

The video also showed bright, half-dark lines crossing the screen. These lines appeared to move in a pattern similar to arcade game graphics. ESA confirmed that these were distant stars. The video’s editing technique made them appear as streaks rather than points of light. The Solar Orbiter’s movement against the background created this effect.

Solar Activity Expected to Intensify

The Sun is currently experiencing solar maximum. Flares and solar winds have increased since early 2024. The pseudostreamer in the video formed before this peak. Scientists were surprised by its early appearance. ESA’s Solar Orbiter continues to capture detailed images of solar wind. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and ESA’s Proba-3 mission are also studying these phenomena. More extreme solar winds are expected in the coming years.

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SpaceX Launches 27 Starlink Satellites on Falcon 9 Rocket, Booster Lands Safely

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SpaceX Launches 27 Starlink Satellites on Falcon 9 Rocket, Booster Lands Safely

SpaceX has sent another batch of satellites into orbit. On April 3, a Falcon 9 rocket launched 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket lifted off at 9.02 p.m. Eastern Time and was followed by a successful landing of the first-stage booster on a drone ship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This booster had already been used on four earlier flights. The satellites are expected to be deployed nearly an hour after takeoff if mission steps proceed as planned. The launch formed part of SpaceX’s continued effort to expand its low Earth orbit network.

Details from the Launch Mission Description

According to the mission information provided by SpaceX, the launch marked the fifth use of the same Falcon 9 booster. The drone ship used for recovery was named “Of Course I Still Love You”. This reusable system has become a routine part of SpaceX operations. The booster’s return was completed around eight minutes after liftoff. The launch contributed to the growing total of Starlink satellites which is aimed at building a global broadband network.

Launch Activity in 2025

This latest mission has brought the number of Falcon 9 launches in 2025 to 38. About two-thirds of those have supported the expansion of the Starlink constellation. Earlier this week, two separate launches were also completed. One of them included the Fram2 private astronaut mission, which carried crew members into orbit over Earth’s poles. That mission marked a new milestone in human spaceflight.

Starlink Satellite Network

Over 7100 satellites are now part of the Starlink constellation. The system is already the largest of its kind. SpaceX continues to work on expanding its coverage by launching more satellites regularly. The objective remains to provide consistent internet access worldwide, especially in regions with limited connectivity options.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.


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