NASA crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid – photos show the last moments of the successful DART mission

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test successfully showed that it is possible to crash a spacecraft into a small asteroid. Whether the approach could save Earth from a future threat remains to be seen.

David Barnhart, Professor of Astronautics, University of Southern California • conversation
Sept. 27, 2022 • ~6 min

Can we really deflect an asteroid by crashing into it? Nobody knows, but we are excited to try

We don’t know much about the target asteroid of Nasa’s imminent Dart mission, so it’s hard to predict what will happen when we crash into it.

Stefania Soldini, Lecturer in Space Engineering, UKRI FL Fellow, University of Liverpool • conversation
Sept. 21, 2022 • ~7 min

NASA is crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid to test a plan that could one day save Earth from catastrophe

Crashing the 1,340-pound DART probe into the small moonlet orbiting the asteroid Didymos should redirect its trajectory – and could be a model for how to save Earth in the future.

Svetla Ben-Itzhak, Assistant Professor of Space and International Relations, Air University • conversation
Sept. 20, 2022 • ~10 min

Mystery crater potentially caused by relative of dinosaur-killing asteroid

The dinosaurs were possibly annihilated by two asteroids.

Veronica Bray, Research Scientist, Lunar & Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona • conversation
Aug. 17, 2022 • ~8 min

Wealthy nations are carving up space and its riches – and leaving other countries behind

Current trends suggest that powerful nations are defining the rules of resource use in space and satellite access in ways that will make it hard for developing nations to ever catch up.

Theodora Ogden, Research Fellow in Emerging Space Countries, Arizona State University • conversation
May 11, 2022 • ~9 min

Does this dinosaur ‘graveyard’ reveal their final day on Earth? An expert explores the evidence

A recent BBC documentary examined fossils thought to have been made when an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs.

Michael J. Benton, Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of Bristol • conversation
April 27, 2022 • ~8 min

Does Tanis reveal the last day of the dinosaurs? An expert explores the evidence

A palaeontologist explains why the site at North Dakota probably does reveal the day the asteroid ended the rule of the dinosaurs.

Michael J. Benton, Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of Bristol • conversation
April 27, 2022 • ~8 min

An asteroid impact could wipe out an entire city – a space security expert explains NASA's plans to prevent a potential catastrophe

NASA has only mapped 40% of the potentially dangerous asteroids that could crash into Earth. New projects will boost that number, and upcoming missions will test tech that could prevent collisions.

Svetla Ben-Itzhak, Assistant Professor of Space and International Relations, West Space Seminar, Air War College, Air University • conversation
March 1, 2022 • ~10 min

Asteroid sharing Earth’s orbit discovered – could it help future space missions?

There may be many more asteroids in the same orbit as Earth, some of which we might be able to mine.

David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences, The Open University • conversation
Feb. 3, 2022 • ~7 min

Don't look up: several asteroids are heading towards Earth – here's how we deal with threats in real life

There’s no need to panic about the asteroids heading ‘close’ to Earth in January.

Monica Grady, Professor of Planetary and Space Sciences, The Open University • conversation
Jan. 7, 2022 • ~6 min

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