NASA's DART Mission Unveils New Insights on Asteroid System

Researchers find Dimorphos is significantly younger and less cohesive than Didymos, revealing new details about asteroid formation and evolution.

Dimorphos' surface is estimated to be only 300,000 years old, compared to Didymos' 12.5 million years.
Both asteroids are rubble piles, with Dimorphos likely formed from material shed by Didymos.
The DART impact significantly altered Dimorphos' orbit due to its loose, boulder-filled composition.
Thermal fatigue rapidly affects the boulders on Dimorphos, altering its surface faster than expected.
The findings aid planetary defense strategies and offer a deeper understanding of near-Earth objects.