Crashing into an asteroid creates chaotic space boulders
In the almost three years since NASA proved that it could successfully deflect an asteroid, we’ve learned a lot about these space rocks. The September 2022 collision of a spacecraft into the asteroid moon Dimorphos completely changed the space rock’s orbit. However, this groundbreaking test also showed smashing into an asteroid can trigger a barrage of boulders. The resulting chunks of rock carried more than three times the momentum of the spacecraft that crashed into Dimorphos. The ejected boulders created forces in unexpected directions that could complicate other attempts to deflect an asteroid, according to a study published this month in the Planetary Science Journal. “We succeeded in deflecting an asteroid, moving it from its orbit,” study co-author and University of Maryland astronomer Tony Farnham said in a statement. “Our research shows that while the direct impact of the DART spacecraft caused this change, the boulders ejected gave an additional kick...