NASA's DART Mission Yields Crucial Insights on Asteroid Deflection

New studies reveal the formation, age, and structural properties of Didymos and Dimorphos, enhancing planetary defense strategies.

DART mission successfully altered Dimorphos' orbit, reducing it by 33 minutes.
Didymos is estimated to be 12.5 million years old, while Dimorphos is around 300,000 years old.
Thermal fatigue rapidly fractures boulders on Dimorphos, a first observed phenomenon on S-type asteroids.
Findings suggest Dimorphos formed from material shed by Didymos due to increased spin rate.
Research aids in understanding asteroid deflection techniques for future planetary defense.