How you can Watch NASA Crash a Spacecraft into an Asteroid

Need to watch NASA crash a spacecraft into an asteroid meandering a bit too near Earth for its liking? Don’t fear, we do too, and we’ve obtained you lined.

On Monday, the company’s Double Asteroid Redirection Take a look at spacecraft, also referred to as DART, is meant to collide with Dimorphous, in response to The New York Instances. That asteroid is reportedly orbiting round a big house rock known as Didymos.

It’ll be the top of DART’s journey, which began all the best way again on November 24, 2021.

The 2 rocks could also be minding their very own goddamn enterprise, however NASA nonetheless desires to fuck with ‘em. Final 12 months, NASA launched DART on its crash course with Dimorphous to check a method that the company might use someday as a technique of planetary protection.

Okay, that’s all properly and good, however how can we watch this house demolition derby? Effectively, don’t fear my pal. NASA goes to broadcast it. The Instances stories NASA Tv can be broadcasting protection of the mission starting at 6 p.m. EST on Monday night. It’ll characteristic mission management audio, and stay commentary. DART is meant to smack into the asteroid at 7:14 p.m… whereas touring at 14,000 mph. Badass. NASA’s media channel may even be broadcasting a stay stream of images from DART because it closes in on the asteroid starting at 5:30 p.m.

If all goes to plan, Dimorphos’s orbit will get nearer to the house rock it’s circling round. As for what’ll occur to the state of Dimorphos, that each one will depend on what it’s made up of. If it’s a pile of rubble held collectively by gravity, The Instances says the crash will most probably ship a bathe of particles flying into house. Neat!

So, in the event you’ve all the time needed to see an enormous asteroid be nudged off track by NASA crashing a spacecraft into it to show an idea that would someday save the world, now could be your likelihood. I’ll actually be watching, as a result of it’s quite a bit like taking part in Burnout however on a really huge and costly scale.