Nasa’s Dart mission successfully changes path of asteroid in world first

Nasa has confirmed its recent attempt to deflect the path of an asteroid was successful.

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test - known as “Dart” - was a proof-of-concept mission intended to test whether or not the space agency could effectively move an Earth-threatening asteroid before it reached the planet.

Nasa flew a spacecraft into the asteroid Dimorphos on 22 September.

The impact changed the asteroid’s orbit around its parent asteroid, Didymos, shortening it by approximately 32 minutes.

Nasa would have considered an orbit change of 10 minutes a success, suggesting the test exceeded expectations.

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