NASA's Battering Ram Now Has Asteroid It'll Smash in Its Sights

Later this month, NASA will attempt to smash a ram spaceship into an asteroid to see if it can protect the Earth from future asteroid impacts.

The Didymos asteroid system, a pair of space rocks classified as "potentially hazardous" near-Earth objects, are now officially in its sights.

The small capsule is going to hit a small moonlet called Dimorphos on September 26.

It's a momentous occasion, as the collision will mark the first time we've ever tried to dodge an asteroid, potentially establishing a new way for humanity to protect itself from a devastating impact in the future

End Game

While DART was able to pick up the asteroid system with its navigation camera, it still has a long way to go.

DART mission systems engineer Elena Adams said that the first set of images is being used as a test.

DART will have to autonomously adjust its trajectory during its last four hours of existence.

"The quality of the image is similar to what we could get from a ground-based telescope, but it is important to show that DRACO is working properly and can see its target to make any adjustments needed before we begin using the images to guide the spacecraft into the asteroid autonomously," said

If the trajectory correction maneuvers go well, DART will smash itself into a million pieces in the service of humanity.

DART sets sights on asteroid target.

DART has more on how to livestream NASA Smashing an Asteroid.