Unexpected Behaviour in Asteroid Post-Earth Defence Test Sparks New Questions

Ever since its encounter with NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft, the Dimorphos asteroid has exhibited unpredictable activity. The collision, a preemptive Earth defence test executed in September 2022, was carried out to examine the feasibility of altering the trajectory of a potential Earth-threatening asteroid. However, some startling information has emerged from an unexpected source - a teacher and his students.

Teacher-student scientific exploration tracked the aftermath of the impact and noted that the asteroid has been moving unusually since the collision. The Dimorphos asteroid, originally in orbit around a larger variant known as Didymos, had its orbit successfully adjusted by tens of metres as a result of the collision.

Regrettably, the excitement did not end there. The scholarly team continued with their study, documenting a gradual slowing of Dimorphos' orbit post-impact. These findings may compel NASA to reevaluate its strategies for any potential future asteroid redirection operations.

The DART mission, initially scheduled for November 2022, was fast-tracked and saw it collide with the asteroid at a whopping 22,530 kilometres per hour on 26th September. Over the next century, NASA has identified at least 23 other celestial bodies that pose a credible risk of a collision with Earth. Though Dimorphos itself was not an imminent threat, this mission's results could yield crucial insights to wield against future threats, making this teacher-student discovery all the more consequential.