![]() While COVID-19 was not the sole factor for this delay, it has been a significant and critically contributing factor for multiple issues. This change reflects NASA’s priority for both mission success and personnel health and safety, which are paramount for all NASA missions. “To ensure DART is poised for mission success, NASA directed the team pursue the earliest possible launch opportunity during the secondary launch window to allow more time for DRACO testing and delivery of ROSA, and provide a safe working environment through the COVID-19 pandemic.” “At NASA, mission success and safety are of the utmost importance, and after a careful risk assessment, it became clear DART could not feasibly and safely launch within the primary launch window,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. This decision, in part, stems from technical challenges associated with two mission critical components: the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical-navigation (DRACO) imager, which needs to be reinforced to ensure it withstands the stress of launch, and the roll-out solar arrays (ROSA), which are delayed due to supply chain impacts resulting from, but not limited to, the COVID-19 pandemic. U003cstrongu003eu003cemu003eNASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribbenu003c/emu003eu003c/strongu003e The DART project is currently working with SpaceX and NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) to identify the earliest possible launch opportunity within this secondary window. Based on the results of this assessment, SMD determined the primary launch period is no longer viable and has directed the DART project pursue their secondary launch window. At the request of Science Mission Directorate (SMD) senior leadership, a risk assessment was performed on the DART project schedule to determine the viability of the primary (Jto August 24, 2021) and secondary (Novemto February 15, 2022) launch periods. The mission aims to shift an asteroid’s orbit through kinetic impact – specifically, by impacting a spacecraft into the smaller member of the binary asteroid system Didymos to change its orbital speed. The DART mission will demonstrate this new technology and mature it for future missions.The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), NASA’s first flight demonstration for planetary defense, seeks to test and validate a method to protect Earth in case of an asteroid impact threat. The arrays feature APL-developed Transformational Solar Array concentrators. SMART Nav will use images from DRACO to identify and distinguish between Dimorphos and Didymos.ĭART also will fly Deployable Space Systems Roll-Out Solar Arrays (ROSA) for the first time in deep space. DRACO will capture images of the asteroids Didymos and Dimorphos, and support autonomous optical navigation for the DART spacecraft.ĭART contains several new technologies, including the APL-developed Small-body Maneuvering Autonomous Real-Time Navigation (SMART Nav) algorithms to autonomously direct the spacecraft toward its target. The DART spacecraft and its single instrument, the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical (DRACO) navigation, was built by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in California. ![]() ![]() Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben ![]() Illustration of NASA’s DART spacecraft and the Italian Space Agency’s LICIACube prior to impact at the Didymos binary system. ![]()
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