The Facts
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has detected a cluster of 37 boulders that were ejected from the asteroid Dimorphos, which the agency’s DART ["Double Asteroid Redirection Test"] mission successfully targeted and hit in the world’s first planetary defense test mission against a celestial object.
On Sept. 26, 2002, the 1.2K (544 kg) pound spacecraft crashed directly into Dimorphos at 13K mph (21 km/hr) in an attempt to change the asteroid’s velocity and movement. The mission also helped to determine how kinetic impact technology can be used to deflect asteroids that could potentially hit the Earth.
The Spin
Narrative A
NASA’s groundbreaking work not only provides fascinating insight into the larger universe around us, but it could also save our very existence by developing a defense against potential asteroids headed toward Earth. There are many dangers beyond our planet that threaten our safety and could end life as we know it. Thankfully, NASA’s DART mission is discovering information and developing a plan that could save our planet one day.
Narrative B
NASA's DART mission could very well be vital in protecting the Earth from a catastrophic collision. However, the scientific community must be very careful with how it gathers and uses this otherworldly information as there could be unimaginable consequences. This technology also brings the possibility of deflecting asteroids into Earth's path on purpose by a bad actor as a weapon of mass destruction. Proper precautions must be taken with these celestial developments.
