DART
China to target near-Earth object 2020 PN1 for asteroid deflection mission
China has set its sights on near-Earth object 202 PN1 as the target for a combined asteroid deflection and observation test mission due to launch in 2026.
Falcon 9 launches DART
A SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launched a NASA mission that will deliberately collide with a near Earth asteroid to test a technique that could be used to deflect the trajectory of any future asteroid on a collision course with the Earth.
NASA ready to launch DART planetary defense demonstration mission
NASA is ready to launch its first mission devoted to planetary defense, a spacecraft that will collide with the moon of a small asteroid to test the ability to deflect it.
NASA delays launch of planetary defense mission
NASA will delay the launch of a mission designed to test one technique for deflecting a potentially hazardous asteroid, although that delay won’t affect the spacecraft’s arrival at its target.
NASA’s planetary science program shifts priority to asteroid missions
With a flagship Mars rover mission launched, NASA’s planetary science division is turning its attention to a pair of asteroid missions set to launch next year.
Advocates promote planetary defense mission ahead of ESA ministerial
A group of planetary defense advocates is asking European governments to fund a mission to a near Earth asteroid, three years after a similar mission failed to win approval.
Self-driving spacecraft? The challenge of verifying AI will work as intended
To prepare for self-driving cars, mobility companies have spent more than a decade gathering data from thousands of vehicles equipped with a variety of technology. No comparable database exists for companies or government agencies aiming to give spacecraft more autonomy.
Scientists lobby NASA for additional planetary defense missions
Scientists used an appearance by the NASA administrator at a conference April 29 to press him to fund additional missions that support the agency’s work in discovering and characterizing near Earth objects.
NASA awards DART launch contract to SpaceX
SpaceX will launch a NASA mission to test an asteroid deflection technique at a significantly lower price than past agency contracts won by the company.
ESA plans second attempt at planetary defense mission
A year and a half after ministers declined to fund one mission to an asteroid, the European Space Agency is working on a second such mission that could support planetary defense efforts.
