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Science

PSPS

(14,491 posts)

3. I guess that qualifies as a success

Reply to Talitha (Original post)

Wed Oct 12, 2022, 01:36 AM

Oct 2022

32 minutes is about 1/2 degree. They would have considered a 73 second change (about 0.02 degree) a success so this accomplished about 25 times the deviation desired. Whether this would be "enough" would depend on the distance from Earth, of course. And then there are other considerations. Would the deviation send it into the influence of other bodies with unpredictable/undesirable results? I'm pretty sure they can calculate that. As John Glenn said, "Get the girl, check the numbers."

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"The DART spacecraft changed the orbital period of Dimorphos by a whopping 32 minutes" [View all] Talitha Oct 2022 OP

That's pretty damn good, but what does this mean? OAITW r.2.0 Oct 2022 #1

Does that mean it shifted it's path by degrees... brush Oct 2022 #2

No. It is in orbit around a second asteroid. A real problem asteroid would get more mass Bernardo de La Paz Oct 2022 #4

Did the hit alter/change the orbit of the smaller asteroid... brush Oct 2022 #5

Yup, you got it. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Oct 2022 #6

I guess that qualifies as a success PSPS Oct 2022 #3

No, this is minutes of time (for the period of the orbit around the larger asteroid), not angle muriel_volestrangler Oct 2022 #7