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(Transcribed by TurboScribe. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) You might recall our discussion on NASA's groundbreaking

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DART mission.

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Today, we're back with the latest updates and

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insights into how this mission is significantly shaping

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our planetary defence strategies.

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New images from NASA have deepened our understanding

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of the asteroid system involved.

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In this video, we'll explore these new insights

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and their implications for the future of planetary

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defence.

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So, without further ado, let's get started.

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The DART mission sent a spacecraft, about the

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size of a refrigerator, millions of miles into

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space to hit the asteroid Dimorphos, which measures

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about 530 feet in diameter and orbits around

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Didymos, a larger asteroid approximately 2,560 feet

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wide.

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Both are considered near-Earth objects, located within

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7 million miles of Earth.

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On September 26th, 2022, the spacecraft successfully crashed

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into Dimorphos at a speed of roughly 14

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,000 miles per hour.

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This collision notably shortened Dimorphos' orbit around Didymos

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by 33 minutes, far exceeding the mission's initial

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goal of altering the orbit by just 73

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seconds, showcasing the potential to change an asteroid's

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path through direct impact.

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Before this mission, our understanding of the surfaces

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of these asteroids was limited.

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Images captured before the collision revealed that Dimorphos

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is scattered with large boulders and has a

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rugged surface, resembling a loosely connected pile of

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rubble.

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Recent analyses further illuminate the nature of these

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celestial bodies.

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The team concluded that Dimorphos likely broke off

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from Didymos during a large mass-shedding event,

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a natural process that can accelerate the formation

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of smaller asteroids.

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Studies suggest Didymos' surface is substantially older than

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Dimorphos', with Didymos estimated to be 12.5

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million years old and Dimorphos less than 300

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,000 years old.

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This age difference implies Dimorphos' surface is weaker,

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which may have contributed to the effectiveness of

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the dart impact in altering its orbit.

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In addition, research comparing the boulders on both

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asteroids indicates that Dimorphos might have formed in

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stages from material originating from Didymos, supporting the

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hypothesis that it spun off from the larger

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asteroid.

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A third study highlighted similarities between the boulders

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on Dimorphos and those found on rubble-pile

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asteroids, suggesting a common formation mechanism.

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The impact of the dart mission also created

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a debris tail from over 10 million kilogrammes

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of asteroid material, stretching thousands of kilometres.

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Observations from the Hubble Space Telescope indicate that

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this tail behaved like those seen on active

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asteroids, hinting that the impact may have given

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Dimorphos more comet-like characteristics.

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Moreover, the mission showcased the Yarkovsky effect in

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action, a phenomenon where an asteroid's path can

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gradually change as it absorbs sunlight and re

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-emits it as heat.

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This effect complicates the prediction of the asteroid's

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future trajectory.

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NASA's DART mission has really opened up new

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possibilities for keeping our planet safe from asteroids.

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By sending a spacecraft at high speed into

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Dimorphos, they managed to change its orbit around

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another asteroid, Didymos.

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It's pretty incredible when you think about it.

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We've got the technology to push asteroids away

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if they ever threaten Earth.

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However, just pushing asteroids isn't enough.

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We also need to spot them early.

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The sooner we find a dangerous asteroid, the

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better our chances of stopping it.

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To enhance our ability to detect potentially dangerous

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asteroids, NASA is planning to launch a new

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telescope called the Near-Earth Object Surveyor in

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2026.

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This special telescope will use infrared to see

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and study asteroids that could be a threat

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to us.

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It will help us keep an eye on

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their paths and predict if they might collide

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with Earth, giving us time to react and

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plan how to deflect them.

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The information from the DART mission is also

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helping develop other ways to move asteroids.

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One method involves placing a spacecraft near an

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asteroid to gently pull it into a new

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path using gravity.

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Another, more extreme method, would use a nuclear

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explosion to push the asteroid in a different

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direction.

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Each method has its pros and cons, depending

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on how big, what it's made of, and

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where the asteroid is going.

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The success of this mission also suggests that

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using different methods together might work even better.

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For instance, first using a high-speed impact

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to nudge the asteroid, and then using a

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gravity tractor to make small adjustments, could make

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sure the asteroid stays off a collision course

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with Earth.

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What if we fail to deflect an asteroid

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in time?

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The effects of an asteroid impact are influenced

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by the size, speed, and composition of the

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asteroid, as well as the impact location.

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A large asteroid striking Earth could unleash catastrophic

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events, from tsunamis and fires to significant climate

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changes.

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This can be mitigated by studying past impacts

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and employing advanced computer simulations.

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The kinetic energy transferred during impact plays a

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significant role.

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This energy generates massive shock waves that propagate

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through Earth's surface and atmosphere.

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The asteroid's velocity and mass, along with the

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terrain it impacts, determine the intensity of these

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shock waves.

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The entry angle of an asteroid also affects

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potential damage.

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Steeper angles can produce severe shock waves, increase

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seismic activities, and heighten the risk of fires

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and tidal waves, making the impact more destructive.

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The composition of the asteroid dictates the extent

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of the impact.

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Metallic asteroids can cause greater physical destruction if

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they reach the surface, whereas rocky asteroids, which

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tend to break up in the atmosphere, still

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pose risks depending on the size and quantity

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of the fragments.

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The impact location is critical.

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An ocean impact might generate massive tsunamis, affecting

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coastal cities.

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A land impact could release dust and debris

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into the atmosphere, potentially leading to climate changes

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similar to a nuclear winter effect, where blocked

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sunlight leads to global cooling.

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And that's what the DART mission and other

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future missions are here for, to protect our

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planet from such threats.

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The upcoming European Space Agency's HERA mission in

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2024 aims to build on DART's success by

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conducting detailed surveys of dimorphos and didymos.

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This will provide crucial data on the impact's

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effects and the asteroid's structural properties, aiding scientists

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in refining asteroid dynamics models and improving deflection

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techniques.

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This mission is a key part of the

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broader asteroid impact and deflection assessment collaboration between

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NASA and ESA, highlighting the importance of international

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cooperation.

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Also, NASA's Planetary Defence Coordination Office plays a

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crucial role in this effort by tracking and

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characterising potentially hazardous objects.

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Alongside international partners, PDCO conducts simulations and exercises

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to refine response strategies.

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The upcoming NEO Surveyor mission in 2026 will

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enhance detection capabilities, providing early warnings that allow

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more time to develop and implement deflection strategies.

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Thanks for joining this stellar journey, and remember,

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as we keep our eyes to the skies,

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the universe continues to unfold its mysteries.