"DART Mission: How NASA Altered an Asteroid's Orbit and Shape"

NASA's DART spacecraft successfully deflected the asteroid Dimorphos, altering its orbit and shape. A new study led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory revealed that the impact changed Dimorphos from a symmetrical object to a "triaxial ellipsoid" and shortened its orbital period by 33 minutes and 15 seconds. The study utilized data from DART's impact, including images, radar measurements, and light curve observations. The findings provide valuable insights into asteroid behavior and will inform future asteroid deflection strategies.