NASA accomplished the first planetary defense mission against potentially threading debris, such as asteroids yesterday afternoon. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test, also known as DART, used a vending machine sized spacecraft to strike an asteroid in Earth’s vicinity.
Even though the asteroid was not a severe threat, DART served as a “key test” according to the agency.
Dr. Garrett Reisman is a former NASA astronaut, current SpaceX advisor, and a USC Professor of Astronautics Practice and Human Space Flight. He was present at the launch of the DART mission 10 months ago and he was happy to see the results.
“The importance of it is that it serves as a technology demonstrator that we can actually defend ourselves if there was an asteroids heading toward us, and it was very worthy. This was the first mission undertaken solely for the purpose of planetary defense and that’s a real milestone,” Reisman said.
The importance of this breakthrough project also reached the student community at USC, who look optimistically towards the future. Sophomore engineering student Caitlin Miller explained how the launch was relatable for students interested in space exploration.
“It opens up a whole new world. I’m a mechanical engineering student and am looking to go into an aerospace field so the fact that this was such a success means that there is so much more to work towards, which is super exciting for the future. That opens up so many opportunities for students like me to move into fields like that.” Miller said.
The project also prompted student to think about the global implications of the mission. Another Viterbi student, junior Rohan Gupta thinks the project opens up international unity.
“Space is often something countries can come together on like most countries because its really the final frontier and what ever advancements that happen there are hugely inspiring for progress in general. When it comes to space everyone is more or less united on this front and anytime an advancement happens there I’m really exciting for what it could mean for progress.”
Miller had similar thoughts about the broader impact of the mission.
“I think while its great, there is a lot of progress to be made. If it takes seven years and a threat comes before that there’s going to be a lot of steps to take to put it in the right direction, but I do think it opens up a lot of opportunity for countries to come together and to worry about the planet as a whole rather than just individually,” Miller said.
NASA executed the mission on Monday, but only time will tell if the vending-machine-sized spacecraft actually slowed down the target.
For Annenberg Media I’m Nora Miller