# DART Impactor

> NASA spacecraft which impacted asteroid Dimorphos

**Wikidata**: [Q109690546](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109690546)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/dart-impactor

## Summary
The DART Impactor was a NASA space probe designed to test planetary defense methods by intentionally crashing into an asteroid. As part of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission, it successfully impacted the asteroid moon Dimorphos on September 26, 2022. The spacecraft was manufactured and operated by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

## Key Facts
- **Mission:** Part of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), the first mission dedicated to investigating and demonstrating one method of asteroid deflection.
- **Impact Event:** Successfully impacted Dimorphos on September 26, 2022, at 23:14:24 UTC.
- **Launch Date:** Launched on November 24, 2021, at 06:21:02 UTC aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5.
- **Launch Site:** Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 East.
- **Mass:** Weighed 610 kg at launch and approximately 579.4 kg at the time of impact; dry weight was approximately 501 kg.
- **Operator & Manufacturer:** Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).
- **Sponsor:** National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- **Dimensions:** The spacecraft bus measured 1.8 meters in width, 1.9 meters in length, and 2.6 meters in height.
- **Power:** Powered by two Roll-Out Solar Arrays (ROSA) spanning approximately 18.8 meters and an ion thruster using xenon.
- **Identifiers:** COSPAR ID 2021-110A; NSSDCA ID 2021-110A.

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of the DART Impactor?
A: The DART Impactor was designed to demonstrate the "kinetic impactor" technique for planetary defense. By crashing into the asteroid moon Dimorphos, the mission aimed to test whether a spacecraft could successfully alter an asteroid's trajectory.

### Q: When and where did the DART Impactor crash?
A: The spacecraft impacted Dimorphos on September 26, 2022, at 23:14:24 UTC. The impact occurred at coordinates latitude -8.84 and longitude 264.3 on the asteroid's surface.

### Q: Who built and managed the DART Impactor?
A: The spacecraft was manufactured and operated by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), with sponsorship from NASA. The launch services were contracted to SpaceX.

### Q: How big was the DART Impactor?
A: The main spacecraft body (bus) was roughly box-shaped, measuring 1.8 meters wide, 1.9 meters long, and 2.6 meters high. When its solar arrays were fully deployed, the width expanded to approximately 18.8 meters.

## Why It Matters
The DART Impactor represents a critical advancement in planetary defense strategy. As the first space probe to demonstrate the kinetic impactor technique, it provided essential data on how a spacecraft collision can affect the motion of a celestial body. The mission successfully proved that humanity has the capability to target and impact an asteroid millions of miles away, a foundational requirement for any future effort to deflect a hazardous object threatening Earth. By deliberately creating an impact crater on Dimorphos, the mission moved beyond theoretical models to a real-world test of asteroid deflection technology. The data gathered regarding the spacecraft's navigation to the target and the physical dynamics of the impact helps scientists understand the mechanics of high-velocity encounters in space.

## Notable For
- Being the first spacecraft designed specifically to impact an asteroid for planetary defense purposes.
- Using a unique propulsion system combining Roll-Out Solar Arrays (ROSA) and a xenon-fueled ion thruster.
- Successfully navigating to and impacting a small asteroid moon, Dimorphos, which is roughly 160 meters in diameter (implied by context of target).
- Ending its operational life via scheduled destruction (impact) on September 26, 2022, fulfilling its primary mission objective.

## Body
### Mission Design and Classification
The DART Impactor is classified as a **space probe**, defined as an unmanned robotic spacecraft that explores outer space without orbiting the Earth. It served as the kinetic impactor component of the **Double Asteroid Redirection Test**. The mission was sponsored by **NASA** and executed by the **Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory**, which served as both the manufacturer and operator.

### Physical Specifications
The spacecraft had a launch mass of **610 kilograms**. By the time of its impact with Dimorphos on September 26, 2022, its mass had reduced to **579.4 kilograms**. The estimated dry weight of the vehicle was **501 kilograms**.

Structurally, the spacecraft bus had the following dimensions:
- **Width:** 1.8 meters (bus); approximately 18.8 meters with solar arrays deployed.
- **Length:** 1.9 meters.
- **Height:** 2.6 meters.

### Propulsion and Power
The DART Impactor utilized advanced power and propulsion systems.
- **Power:** It was equipped with **two Roll-Out Solar Arrays (ROSA)**, a flexible solar array technology.
- **Propulsion:** The probe was powered by an **ion thruster** that utilized **xenon** as a propellant.

### Launch Details
The spacecraft launched on **November 24, 2021**, at 06:21:02 UTC. The launch vehicle was a **Falcon 9 Block 5** (serial number 1063.3), provided under a launch contract with **SpaceX**. It lifted off from **Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 East** in the United States.

### Destination and Impact
The destination for the DART Impactor was **Dimorphos**, a moonlet of the asteroid Didymos. The spacecraft met its end on **September 26, 2022**, at **23:14:24** UTC. This event was categorized as a "significant event" (impact) and marked the **dissolved, abolished, or demolished date** for the craft. The impact occurred at specific coordinates on the asteroid surface: **latitude -8.84, longitude 264.3**.

## References

1. [Source](https://dart.jhuapl.edu/News-and-Resources/files/Fact-Sheet-DART.pdf)
2. [Source](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/11/falcon-9-dart-launch/)
3. Jonathan's Space Report
4. [Source](https://dart.jhuapl.edu/News-and-Resources/files/DART-press-kit-web-FINAL.pdf)
5. [Source](https://www.space.com/nasa-dart-asteroid-impact-planetary-defense-success)
6. [Source](https://spacenews.com/dart-collides-with-asteroid-in-planetary-defense-test/)
7. Successful kinetic impact into an asteroid for planetary defence
8. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=DART)
9. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-asteroid-redirect-test-mission)
10. [Source](https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/solar-system/nasa-set-to-launch-dart-on-a-mission-to-crash-into-an-asteroid/)
11. [Source](https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/11/22/spacex-ready-for-first-launch-with-nasa-interplanetary-mission/)