Dr. Thomas S. Statler, NASA’s Lead Scientist for Solar System Small Bodies, delivered a riveting talk at RSC, Bhopal, titled “How (and Why) NASA Moved an Asteroid: Near Earth Objects, Planetary Defence, and the DART Mission.”

CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: NASA has marked a monumental achievement with the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission. In 2022, DART successfully altered the trajectory of an asteroid for the first time in history. By crashing into the asteroid Dimorphos, the DART spacecraft changed its speed by 2.7 millimetres per second, a breakthrough in protecting Earth from potential asteroid impacts.

Dr. Statler highlighted the risks posed by near-Earth objects (NEOs) and the critical importance of planetary defence. With numerous NEOs posing potential threats, NASA’s Planetary Defence Coordination Office leads global efforts in understanding and mitigating these risks.

The talk also previewed future missions, including Lucy, OSIRIS-APEX, and MMX, aimed at exploring small solar system bodies and enhancing Earth’s defence against extra-terrestrial threats. Dr. Statler emphasized that altering an asteroid’s course not only demonstrates human ingenuity but also strengthens our preparedness to protect our planet.

Around 300 students from schools and colleges attended the talk.