Launching Soon: NASA s First Asteroid Deflection Test

On Nov. 24, 2021, our Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft will lift off on a ten-month journey to crash into a distant asteroid – on purpose. As a test of NASA s planetary defense technologies, DART will collide with and slightly change the speed of Dimorphos, a small moonlet orbiting the asteroid Didymos. Dimorphos will be over 6 million miles away at the time of impact and does not pose a threat to Earth, either before or after DART s collision. With nearby satellites and Earth-based telescopes, NASA and our international partners will track DART s effect on Dimorphos and use this data to help protect Earth from future asteroid impact threats. DART s first launch attempt is scheduled for 1:20 a.m. EST (06:20 UTC) on Nov. 24. Launch coverage starts at 12:30 a.m. EST (05:30 UTC) on NASA TV, the NASA app, and @NASA social media. Be a part of DART s historic launch day by using the hashtag #DARTMission. Producer/Editor: Lacey Young Voiceover: Elena Adams, Michelle Chen, Kelly Fast, Andy Rivkin, Justyna Surowiec Music: Universal Production Music