The space object that NASA is going to hit with a spacecraft in a few years to test its planetary defense systems finally has an official name.
Formerly known as Didymos B, the object will now be known as Dimorphos (Greek for “having two forms”), after the new name was approved by the International Astronomical Union earlier this week.
“The name of the moon was suggested by Kleomenis Tsiganis, a planetary scientist at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a member of both [Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART)] and Hera’s teams, “the IAU said in a statement.” She explains that the name Dimorphos’ has been chosen in anticipation of its changes. We’ll find out in two very different ways, one seen by DART before impact and another seen by Hera a few years later. “
Illustration of the DART spacecraft from NASA and the LICIACube of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) before the impact on the Didymos binary system. (Credits: NASA / Johns Hopkins APL / Steve Gribben)
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Dimorphos is considered a moon for the asteroid Didymos.
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is the first mission developed for NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which was established in 2016, “and a piece of NASA’s broader planetary defense planning,” the space agency wrote in a separate statement.
The current plan is for DART to launch aboard a SpaceX rocket in mid-2021, and eventually crash into Dimorphos by the end of 2022.
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The European Space Agency, which is assisting NASA in its asteroid diversion plan, compared the size of Dimorphos to the Great Pyramid of Egypt, noting that it is about 160 meters (525 feet) in diameter. In contrast, the largest Didymos is approximately 2,560 feet wide, both of which are considered “potentially dangerous” objects near Earth.
According to a 2018 report produced by Planetary.org, there are more than 18,000 NEOs.
ESA is building the Hera spacecraft, which will visit the Didymos asteroid system, assuming DART successfully crashes into Dimorphos. If successful, Hera would launch in 2024 and arrive in 2026 to inspect the findings.
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NASA released a 20-page plan in 2018 detailing the steps the United States must take to be better prepared for NEOs, such as asteroids and comets 30 million miles from the planet.
In April 2019, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said that an asteroid attack is not something to be taken lightly and is perhaps the greatest threat on Earth.
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