NASA’s DART Mission Could Lead to Discoveries About the Origins of Our Solar System

Brandon Hanna
Brandon Hanna is a contributor to dot.LA. He is a mechanical engineer with more than a decade of industry experience in the science, technology, and startup scene.
NASA’s DART Mission Could Lead to Discoveries About the Origins of Our Solar System
Artist Illustration by National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Don’t look up now, but NASA’s upcoming DART mission is about to change planetary defense forever by proving that it’s possible to deflect a world-ending asteroid away from the Earth.

On September 26, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft will crash into the asteroid Dimorphos, attempting to alter the object’s trajectory around a larger asteroid called Didymos.


Not to worry, Bruce Willis and Michael Bay can sit this one out as Dimorphos is not on a collision course with Earth. The mission is the first-ever test to see if intercepting and striking an asteroid would work to deflect any future Earth-bound celestial objects.

The data collected will help scientists determine exactly how hard to hit an asteroid in the future, in the event that humanity must reckon with a celestial threat straight out of “Armageddon.”

The mission – managed by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Maryland – launched into space November 24, 2021 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Nearly 10 months later, NASA’s finally gearing up for DART’s impact.

DART’s 6.8 million mile journey was chosen because there is much to learn about the formation of the binary asteroid system, and its orbit can easily be seen through telescopes on Earth, making it an ideal target for this test.

But it won’t be easy to view the collision in real-time, because impact with the asteroid will cut off the data feed and destroy the spacecraft, and its high-tech space camera will be unable to record the collision. Thankfully, the Italian Space Agency is here to help – a small autonomous cube satellite (LICIACube) will fly by to photograph the impact and its effect on the asteroid system.

Long Beach-based startup Rocket Lab has a role in this mission, too – it is supporting the Italian satellite's journey to the asteroid inside one of its satellite dispensers, which deployed the CubeSat ten days before DART's impact to position itself to record the collision and ejecta plume dust cloud that will be lifted from the surface and interior of the asteroid on impact.

University of Maryland astronomy professor Ludmilla Kolokolova will then lead a team to analyze the images obtained by the Italian Space Agency’s CubeSat and model the ejecta plume.

NASA\u2019s DART spacecraft and the Italian Space Agency\u2019s (ASI) LICIACubeNASA’s DART spacecraft and the Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) LICIACubeNASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben

The research conducted after Monday’s test collision will steer us into a new and exciting era of astronomy that goes beyond just planetary defense, but helps us answer some of the universe's oldest questions, like how our solar system was formed.

Kolokolova told dot.LA she’s most excited about scientific discoveries that this experiment could help reveal, beyond protecting the planet from interstellar threats.

“The main goal of the project is to show that we can deflect the asteroid from the collision with the Earth if such a situation appears in the future,” Kolokolova said. “However, for me, as an astronomer, the main excitement is to learn more about asteroids. I am interested in exploring their internal structure as it is a clue to their formation.”

“There are several different theories that describe their formation,” she added. “In order to select between them we need to know the asteroid structure - is it solid, or porous, or layered, or ‘rubble pile’? Actually, this is important to understand the origin of the Near-Earth (the most hazardous) Asteroids in general. We know they came from the Main Asteroid Belt. But what brought them to the vicinity of the Earth: gravitational influence of Jupiter and Mars or collisions between asteroids? Collisions should affect their surface and interiors, so we can find the answer to this question studying characteristics of Dimorphos and Didymos.”

Scientists will get an even clearer picture of the formation of these asteroids in four years when the European Space Agency’s Hera mission arrives to survey Dimorphos’s surface and measure its mass.

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) involvement in the DART mission can be traced back to 2013, when a joint operational mission with NASA, called AIDA (Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment), involved the ESA developing the AIM (Asteroid Impact Mission) orbiter to accompany the DART spacecraft on its journey. The project was eventually abandoned in 2016 due to lack of financial support and was officially replaced by Hera in 2019.

To view live coverage of the impact, tune in to NASA TV and NASA social media pages, including Twitter and Instagram, beginning at 3pm PST/6pm EST this Monday, September 26.

🌴🧑‍💻 Your Guide to LA Tech Week 2024

🔦 Spotlight

Happy Friday Los Angeles,

As many of you know, LA Tech Week is right around the corner, kicking off next Monday October 14th bringing together founders, creatives, investors, and engineers for a week of immersive events, panels, and socials across the city. From blockchain and AI to biotech and design, LA Tech Week is a chance to dive into the ideas shaping today’s technology landscape.


What to Look Forward To

Insights from Visionary Leaders: Hear firsthand from industry trailblazers as they share stories, challenges, and key lessons from their experiences. Expect fresh perspectives on AI, venture capital, biotech, and the ethical questions around emerging technologies.

Interactive Panels: This week isn’t about watching from the sidelines; it’s about engaging directly with the tech community. Participate in hands-on panels discussing everything from startup scaling to ethical AI, with honest insights from those actively shaping these fields.

Networking Mixers & Social Events: Meet and connect with founders, VCs, developers, designers, and fellow techies across LA. Rooftop mixers, lunch meetups, and creative gatherings offer the perfect chance to spark ideas and collaborate.

Plan your week with the daily lineup, organized by location for easy navigation:

For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!


🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

  • Clout Kitchen, a Los Angeles and Manila based startup, has raised $4.45M in seed funding, co-led by a16z SPEEDRUN and Peak XV’s Surge, to develop AI-powered digital twins, which enables gaming creators to produce realistic virtual avatars for content and fan engagement. - learn more
  • MeWe, a privacy-focused social media platform, has raised an initial $6M in Series B funding led by McCourt Global to support Web3 integration and expand its decentralized network for 20 millions users. - learn more

    LA Venture Funds
    • EGB Capital participated in a $10M Series A funding round for MiLaboratories, which develops software that enables biologists to independently analyze complex genomic data, accelerating research and discovery in fields like drug development. - learn more
    • Crosscut Ventures participated in the $13.75M seed round for Airloom Energy, a company focused on developing airborne wind energy technology to harness high-altitude winds, with plans to accelerate a pilot project in Wyoming. - learn more
    • Overture VC participated in a $5.5M Seed funding round for Molg Inc., a company developing robotics and software for circular manufacturing, designed to disassemble electronics efficiently and recover valuable materials to reduce e-waste and support sustainable production. - learn more


      LA Exits

      • Options MD, a Los Angeles based telemedicine platform that provides care for people suffering from severe and treatment-resistant mental illness, is set to be acquired by Resilience Lab, an AI-driven provider focused on enhancing mental health care access. - learn more

      Download the dot.LA App

      LA Tech Week 2024: Saturday-Sunday Event Lineup
      tech-week

      Here’s what’s happening during the closing weekend (Oct 19 - Oct 20) of LA Tech Week 2024! Events are organized by location so you can easily catch the sessions that interest you most.

      SATURDAY EVENTS

      BEVERLY HILLS

      12:00 PM

      • BIG Showcase (Invite Only):

      BIG Showcase (Invite Only)

      2:00 PM

      Light Dao

      Struck Capital, Seahorse Express

      EAGLE ROCK

      12:00 PM

      Sunrise Integration, Shopify

      EL SEGUNDO

      9:00 PM

      Administratum, Valar Atomics

      HOLLYWOOD

      10:00 AM

      Passes

      MALIBU

      6:00 PM

      • Malibu Beachfront Investors Networking & Wine Tasting:See Details

      Gaya Ventures

      MARINA DEL RAY

      6:00 PM

      • Awaken Your Spirit: A Journey of Transformation (Invite Only)

      Sagos Distro, Alma Wellness

      SANTA MONICA

      7:00 AM

      Founders Running Club

      8:30 AM

      Techstars

      9:00 AM

      Magic Mind

      StartupStarter, Inc., City of Santa Monica

      10:00 AM

      Gen She

      AI LA

      Crea, Barry's, Unsubscribe

      10:30 AM

      Plantologist

      11:30 AM

      • Pickleball Palooza (Invite Only)

      YouTube

      1:00 PM

      • Realfren Games: From strangers to an inner Realfren within 52 weekends: See Details

      Office for Humanity and Circuit Works

      • Talking blockchain technology with special guests: See Details

      LadyDayDao

      5:00 PM

      KARD, What's Plots

      THE VALLEY

      7:00 AM

      Camino5

      VENICE

      9:00 AM

      Westside Yogis

      11:00 AM

      Open App

      1:00 PM

      Ripe and Teddy's Hot House

      4:00 PM

      • Fashion Forward: How AI is Redefining the Fashion Industry: See Details

      VIAVIA, BNTO.RENT, ALMA.AI

      VIRTUAL

      11:00 AM

      BLCK UNICRN

      WEST HOLLYWOOD

      7:00 PM

      Next Sequence

      SUNDAY EVENTS

      INGLEWOOD

      12:00 PM

      Entrepreneur Ventures, VCPE GROUPS

      PLAYA DEL RAY

      2:00 PM

      AI LA, DELL, NVIDIA

      SANTA MONICA

      10:00 AM

      • Women Founders, Cold Brew & Beach View, Rooftop: See Details

      Clutch Talent

      11:00 AM

      11DollarSunglasses.com, Less Litter Foundation

      12:00 PM

      Data in LA, Amplitude

      12:30 AM

      New Moon, Warner UK Innovations

      TOPANGA CANYON

      3:00 PM

      Dreamore

      VENICE

      8:00 AM

      • Surf session with founders, investors, creators: See Details

      Surfed Club, Bow Shock

      12:00 PM

      • Podcast Panel and Brunch: LA Tech Community Builders: See Details

      WeAreLATech.com, Blankspaces.com

      VIRTUAL

      2:00 PM

      BLCK UNICRN


      For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

      Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!


      Download the dot.LA App

      LA Tech Week 2024: Friday’s Event Lineup
      tech-week

      Check out Friday, October 18th's schedule for LA Tech Week 2024! Events are sorted by location so you can easily find what matches your goals for the day.

      BEVERLY HILLS

      8:00 AM

      Scrappy

      BRENTWOOD

      7:30 AM

      Seaside Ventures

      CULVER CITY

      9:00 AM

      Intersections LA

      1:30 PM

      • Showcasing Bioscience Innovation in LA County (Invite Only)

      BioscienceLA, County o LA, Larta Institute, LAEDC

      5:00 PM

      Grid110

      6:00 PM

      ACT House, Sip & Sonder

      EL SEGUNDO

      7:00 PM

      Dirac, Inc.

      INGLEWOOD

      10:00 AM

      Zoo Corporation, Embedded Ventures

      12:00 PM

      • Tech & The Built Environment Series: LA28 Roundtable & SoFi Stadium Tour: See Details Here

      Blended Impact

      MARINA DEL REY

      9:00 AM

      USC ISI

      PACIFIC PALISADES

      4:00 PM

      Silicon Valley Bank, Emmeline Ventures

      PLAYA DEL REY

      8:00 AM

      AI LA

      5:30 PM

      AI LA

      PLAYA VISTA

      12:00 PM

      • Women In Gaming Lunch at Google (Invite Only)

      Google

      4:00 PM

      Verizon, Infinity Festival

      SANTA MONICA

      11:00 AM

      SVRN Ventures

      Headline, Slow Ventures, Karat

      2:00 PM

      Glyf

      Botanical, Panoptic

      The American South Asian Network (ASAN)

      4:00 PM

      • Pizza, Wine, & Connectivity: Celebrating the Nomadic App Revolution:See Details Here

      Synadia

      The American South Asian Network (ASAN)

      Dory Consulting

      • Women in Tech: Beachfront Rooftop at Sunset - Wine-up & Unwind: See Details Here

      Clutch Talent

      Cohere Commerce

      5:00 PM

      Clutch Talent

      Pirros

      6:00 PM

      • Unlocking Capital with Angels & Advisors | No Pressure Networking + Panel:See Details Here

      No Pressure Networking

      Tech Pitch Roast Comedy LLC

      6:15 PM

      • Navigating Intersections: Empowering Leaders in Challenging Times: See Details Here

      Intersectional Ventures

      7:00 PM

      Mantis VC, Lightspeed Venture Partners

      Medusa Ai, Marco Di Luca Event Design

      SOUTH LA

      9:00 AM

      USC Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Cap Table Coalition, PledgeLA, Sisters with Ventures

      UCLA

      1:30 PM

      CrownData.AI

      2:00 PM

      Taisu Ventures, Quotient Ventures

      VENICE

      7:30 AM

      Run Tech Club

      9:00 AM

      Google

      12:00 PM

      Ripe and Teddy's Hot House

      5:30 PM

      Spire Circles

      7:00 PM

      Moss Venice, Yuzulabs, JPMorgan Chase

      8:00 PM

      Truffle

      VIRTUAL

      2:00 PM

      BLCK UNICRN

      WEST HOLLYWOOD

      7:30 PM

      Legendary Ventures, Day Dream Ventures

      WESTSIDE

      9:30 AM

      A16Z GAMES

      7:00 PM

      • Female Funders & Founders (Invite Only)

      L'ATTITUDE Ventures

      WESTWOOD

      9:00 AM

      Fedtech, National Security Innovation Network (NSIN)


      For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

      Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!

      Download the dot.LA App

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