Humanity's First 'Asteroid Impact' Experiment Spacecraft Launch (Breaking News)

Potential Near-Earth Asteroid Impact in September Next Year
Checking for Orbital Changes

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] A spacecraft designed to test whether it can save Earth from a potentially catastrophic asteroid impact capable of causing human extinction was launched on the 23rd (local time).

At 10:21 p.m. that night (10:21 p.m. Pacific Time / 3:21 p.m. Korean Time on the 24th), NASA launched the 'Double Asteroid Redirection Test' spacecraft into space aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The spacecraft will attempt to collide with 'Dimorphos,' which orbits the near-Earth asteroid 'Didymos' every 11.9 hours, in September next year to test whether it can alter the orbital period.

This is humanity's first attempt to change the orbit of a celestial body, and it is expected to accelerate the establishment of Earth's defense strategies to prevent disasters like the dinosaur extinction.

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